Where Loyalty Lies
by Disco Inferno1
Summary: RVD brings in a new valet but the nWo pursues her due to a personal vendetta and for personal gain. Falling for their charms, she must realize her mistake if it is a mistake at all. RVDxOC & HBKxOC .COMPLETE. First in 'Loyalty Series.'
1. Someone in Mind?

**_Where Loyalty Lies _has undergonea major overhaul since its initial posting. I hope you will find the writing and storyline improved. Gin**_

* * *

Where Loyalty Lies _

By Disco Inferno1

**Summary:** Samia Carlsen accidentally falls into her dream job—WWE valet—with Rob Van Dam. The nWo (Kevin Nash, Shawn Michaels, X-Pac, the Big Show, and Triple H) pursues her due to a personal vendetta against RVD and for personal gain and she falls into their "trap" through the charm of Shawn Michaels. Will she realize her mistake or is it a mistake at all? Pairings: RVDxOFC and HBKxOFC.

Original characters of Samia Carlsen, Adrienne Bradley, Margaret Salley, and any other original characters are copyright of Disco Inferno1, 2002.

**Rating:** T or PG-13 for mild swearing, in-ring/arena violence; non-graphic m/f consensual sex.

**Disclaimer:** I do not in any way lay claim to any name or character in the WWE. This is not-for-profit fiction. The only profit received is pure entertainment.

**Author's Note:** This piece of fiction is written from the standpoint that wrestling is real in every way. Poetic license has been taken with character personas and factions (i.e. Triple H in the nWo).

The beginning is set in 2002 after the Vince McMahon vs. Ric Flair for complete ownership and before the introduction of general managers Eric Bischoff and Stephanie McMahon, which is treated as never happening. Knowledge of television canon at this time is not required.

_**

* * *

Chapter I: Someone in Mind? **_

"Good evenin', Mr. Nash. I'm Samia Carlsen. May I escort you to your dressing room?" A blonde haired lady in her late twenties and dressed in a burgundy business suit extended a hand to the wrestler getting out of the limo.

"Yeah, sure," he responded, shaking her hand in return. She offered to take his smaller bag but he declined. He was already in his attire for the night's show—black jeans, his nWo shirt, but accompanied by a black leather jacket against an uncharacteristic summer night's chill.

"This way, sir," she said and pointed down a hall. Turning to go down the corridor, she clenched her hands where Kevin Nash couldn't see them and then let her fists relax, reminding herself to just breathe, not think about the incredibly sexy wrestler walking behind her, and and keep up the professionalism she hoped to establish in her introduction. The woman quickly stopped and waited for him to gain her side before pointing down another hallway. "Two doors down on the right is Mr. McMahon's office."

"Hopefully I won't have to visit that room tonight," he replied with a laugh.

"Really?"

"Yeah, that's the bad part of the job," Nash answered, shaking his head and glaring at the office door.

"My whole job is the bad part," she muttered as they continued to walk, not meaning for him to hear her.

"What do you do?" Nash asked, catching her off guard.

"Right now I'm a paralegal. Long story short, I could be a lawyer but I have more ethics than my previous employers wanted. So, outside of that, being a paralegal is really all I'm qualified to do and it's good money…" Samia abruptly stopped, realizing that she was close to getting on her soapbox with a stranger. "I'm sorry. Here I am going on about myself as if you're interested."

"No, that's alright. I asked." He patted her on the back. She sucked in her breath and reminded herself to breathe…again.

"Down that hall is the common area. Have you had dinner?" Samia asked as she stopped at the hall entrance.

"Yeah."

"Good, but they have any munchies you might want and drinks. Also, you will need to pass through there to get to the arena entrance. Your dressing room is right around the corner." A few more doors down and she stopped before one with the nWo sign on it. "The biggest for the best."

"An nWo fan?"

"Are you kidding? I've been following the nWo since the formation of the Kliq. I mean, technically, the nWo is the Kliq made over, right? Especially since Triple H jumped ship from SmackDown!"

"It's true, it's true," Nash replied, mocking Kurt Angle.

"That can get you in trouble, you know."

"Thanks, Ms. Carlsen," he said, turning the doorknob.

"You can call me 'Samia.' I mean, that is if you see me again. Call me if you need me," she replied with the nod of her head, stepping away and wondering if she could babble on any more incoherently.

Samia couldn't believe she had the luck of being on event staff for WWE Raw. She still wasn't sure how she ended up backstage working with the wrestlers instead of being an usher. As a part-time employee with the arena, she had often done everything from that to ticket taker and more for all types of events. This was a first for wrestling and she was beyond grateful since she was a diehard fan. Kevin Nash was the first wrestler she had the privilege of showing to his dressing room.

The woman returned to the entrance to see what her next task would be. Before the first hour of Raw was over, she had escorted Matt Hardy, Lita, Bradshaw, Chris Benoit, and Rob Van Dam to their dressing rooms. She next found herself in the common area running errands for hospitality. In between trips, she would quietly sit back and watch her favorite wrestlers drift by and on occasion make small talk with them. She really thought this could be the greatest night of her life. If only she really knew…

"Sammy, I need the keys to room 105. Will you head down to the office and bring them back to me?"

"Sure," she replied, rolling her eyes when she was out of the director's sight. _My name is Sa-mia, not Sammy, _she thought as she rounded the corner that led by Vince McMahon's office. He was definitely not a favorite on her list. Her heels clicked faster as she began hurrying by. Five steps from his office, the door swung open and Rob Van Dam stalked out. She turned tail and began backtracking.

"Why not?" he shouted.

McMahon stepped to the door. "Because I said so. We've already been over this," he forcefully replied.

"You know I deserve it," RVD spat out but then stopped, the wheels turning in his head. "Can I at least have a valet?'

"Now, I can accommodate that. Who?" Vince asked, folding his arms across his chest.

RVD couldn't believe McMahon had agreed and could hardly keep his mouth from dropping open. "What do you mean 'who'?"

"If you want a valet, you must have some woman in mind. Who?"

This was not going exactly the way he had planned and he glanced around him, searching his mind for a solution and catching sight of Samia waiting at the end of the hall to pass through. He remembered her escorting him. Knowing how capricious McMahon could be, RVD responded quickly to keep the man from changing his mind if he waited any longer. "Samia." Her name was too easy to remember. He couldn't believe the luck he was having in McMahon's agreement and this lady being near by. He would just explain the situation to her, hope she took it well, and quickly find someone else he knew. He didn't know her from the man in the moon but, to him, the risk that she wouldn't understand was better than not having a valet.

Samia couldn't help but overhear part of the conversation and was surprised to her hear name. Shocked, she turned to see McMahon and RVD staring at her. Van Dam waved her over and she tentatively stepped forward. "Yes?" she said as confidently as possible and smiled at them to try to keep her cool.

RVD glanced at her name tag. "Vince, this is Samia Carlsen."

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Carlsen," McMahon said with suspicion in his voice and held out his hand.

"Likewise," she replied, returning his firm handshake as best as her trembling hands would allow since his commanding presence face-to-face made her feel so overshadowed and intimidated.

"Rob, call my offices first thing tomorrow morning and we'll get everything worked out. If I don't hear from you then, I'll assume you changed your mind," McMahon dryly said and disappeared inside his room.

"May I now ask what just happened?" Samia asked of Van Dam when the door closed.

"You've been hired by the WWE as my valet in Vince McMahon's mind. I'm sorry I had to do that. With McMahon, you've gotta run with things as they happen, you know," RVD explained with a shrug of his shoulders. "But it's not exactly that way. Um, come back to my dressing room and we'll talk about this."

Samia was too shocked to move. Then retrieving the keys for the director popped into her head. "I have some errands to run. I'll drop by in a few minutes. Is that fine?"

"See you then," he replied with a nod and walked off to his room.

Samia slowly wondered down to the offices trying to sort what had just happened. There is no way she would turn down the job. She may have to tend to RVD's every need on the road but she would be in the middle of what she loved the most. Shivers ran up and down her spine at that thought. She never wanted to really wrestle. Her dream was to accompany wrestlers to the ring, wondering if he would let her do that as well. This could be her big chance. She was at a loss as to why she was so lucky but she definitely wasn't questioning it. It was probably somebody's sick joke on her, even though it was nowhere near April Fool's Day, and she wondered who would be so cruel, trying to figure out who she had pissed off to that extent. The blonde was at a loss as to who or why but at least she gave the moment the benefit of the doubt while trying not to get her hopes up.

Samia brought the keys back to the director, made up an excuse, and disappeared down to the hall to see RVD. She drew in her breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in. Have a seat," RVD invited and pointed to a seat before taking the chair opposite her. He had showered and dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. He left his hair down, which made him look quite handsome. "Let's talk," he began and she nodded. "I didn't mean to do that to you. I've been trying to niggle more money out of McMahon for my contract renewal. When he wouldn't agree to a salary raise and a title shot, I threw out the next best thing I could think of, something to totally waste his money—a valet."

Samia wasn't sure that she liked the idea of how he felt about a valet and he was getting her employed as one out of the blue. She waited while he paused to pull the hairband from his wrist and start pulling his long locks back into a ponytail as he continued. "I really didn't have anybody in mind but, like I said, I was afraid to not take the opportunity, you know, _carpe diaz_ or something like that."

"_Carpe diem_," she corrected.

"Exactly," he replied, pointing at her. "So, I saw you standing there and remembered your name, so I just took a chance. If I hadn't, I would've still been empty-handed. Anyhow…" He paused, seeming to search for words. "I don't how else to put it but I kinda used you to get me a valet. I'm really sorry. I hope you don't mind."

Samia stared at him for a moment and blinked before realizing what had just happened. She had thought she had just been hired by the WWE but it wasn't exactly like that. Then the woman remembered him saying that—'It's not exactly that way.' She hoped she hid her disappointment well as she sucked in her breath. "Um, yeah," she replied and lowered her eyes to hide her embarrassment.

"I guess you really thought you were gonna be my valet?" he asked sympathetically.

"I…uh, no," Samia replied with a bit of nervous laughter. "So, who's the lucky girl? Mr. McMahon did say you had to call him in the morning. I know some very trustworthy women that, uh, would maybe…" she trailed off, her stomach turning from the embarrassment and slightly constricting her throat.

RVD couldn't believe what he was about to do. He didn't have an inkling who he would have chosen in the first place, having hoped that WWE would have chosen the girl. But Samia was right, he did have until the morning. _What the hell, _he thought. "Aren't you trustworthy?"

"But you said…"

"Let's be honest. I need somebody before in the morning. Do you want the job? I'll need you to accompany me on the road, help me in any capacity that I'll need—helping with accommodations, clothes, et cetera, et cetera. It's not a big job. It's just a lot of time spent on the road. I can let you know everything as we go along instead of explaining it all now, unless you need me to…" She shook her head. "I assume since you thought that—well…" he trailed, sensing her embarrassment. "…that you're available. Can you do it?" RVD hoped this was a good idea, worried that, if she screwed up, McMahon wouldn't let him have anyone else.

Samia couldn't believe what she was hearing. This offer was like a roller coaster ride, first the high of thinking she was hired and then the low of finding out she had assumed wrong. Now, the train was back at the top of hill and she hoped it was a long plateau. Beyond the initial embarrassment, there was no way she wouldn't agree. "This is my dream come true. I'm a hard worker and I won't let you down." He smiled at her enthusiasm. "Why me? I mean, why me now?"

RVD shrugged his shoulders. "I need someone by in the morning and that's less than twelve hours. You look professional and talk like you're smart. Plus, you got a cute accent. I guess we should have done some job interview."

"Yeah, I could be some axe-murderer for all you know," she replied with a laugh. RVD stopped and stared at her for a moment. "What? I didn't mean it."

His face tinted a slight shade of pink. "I kinda thought that when I offered the job."

Samia could help but laugh and he joined her. "So, let's do the job interview and, if you want, you can change your mind," she proposed, hoping that he wouldn't.

"Then, uh, tell me about yourself since we could be working closely for awhile."

"Well, I could be an ex-paralegal, if that's how you want to put it." They chuckled again and she talked about her education and employment.

When she finished, RVD said, "You know, we can start with a trial-run, see how everything goes, and take it from there."

"I take that to mean I'm hired?" Samia asked with a smile and Van Dam nodded. "I want you to know that I'm deeply honored. What do I do first?"

"Well, nothing for now. We have to be in Macon next Monday. Can you get to the Coliseum?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Meet me there about seven. Now, we _talk_. I know you're smarter than me but do you have any jealous boyfriends I have to worry? Bratty sisters? Oh," he said suddenly, "do you have any allergies I should know about?"

"So, you want to know who I _really_ am?" she asked with a crooked grin.

"Yeah, something like that."

Samia laughed to herself, definitely looking forward to working with him, before divulging the personal information he wanted and then asking the same of him. Reporting back to her supervisor was the last thing on her mind, having told the woman RVD needed her before she first came to his dressing and leaving it at that. She now no longer had to report back to her former boss, whether or not the woman knew that.

TBC…


	2. Someone Else to Corrupt

_**Chapter II: Someone Else to Corrupt**_

"Samia! I see you didn't change your mind," Rob Van Dam yelled at her from across the parking lot.

"Wouldn't quit for the world, sir. Let me help you with your bag. It _is_ my job," she called back and hurried over to take a smaller bag from him. At first he hesitated but then handed it over.

"You look great, very professional," he commented, glancing over her attire.

"Thanks," Samia replied. She was dressed in a smoky blue pants and a short suit jacket. She had her hair pulled up in a French twist, much like the last time RVD had seen her. "And you look…laid back," she added about his sandals, blue jean shorts, and gray tanktop.

He chuckled slightly and they headed for the entrance where a young lady met them at the door to escort Rob and Samia to RVD's room. She laughed to herself and remembered that that was her just last week. She had simply called Phillips Arena to quit but they would easily find someone else to replace her. Her boss wasn't quite so understanding but she had at least given him a four day notice, something she hadn't wanted to do as she was sick and tired of doing his research in the stuffy law library, making his appointments, and getting his coffee. _I still can't believe it's real, _she thought and smiled as she followed RVD into his room. "What first?"

"Well, we can start with my usual routine," he answered and began to go through what he would expect from her each night out at events. It wasn't much as he wasn't really in need of a valet, just that he wanted to milk the Chairman for all he could. "I'm heading down to McMahon's office. Why don't you go find yourself something to drink and bring me back something?"

"Yes, sir," she replied and disappeared out the door. Hospitality was easily found and she was quickly on her way back. Not far from her destination, she turned a corner and ran smack into Kevin Nash. "I'm sorry," she muttered and tried to hurry by out of embarrassment, remembering her last babbling conversation with him.

"Wait a minute," he said, putting a large hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Aren't you that woman that helped me last week? Sarah, Sharon, Sam…I'm sorry, I don't remember."

"Samia…Carlsen. Yeah, that was me," she answered, curious enough to stick around to see what he wanted.

"What are you doing down here?" Nash asked.

"I'm Rob Van Dam's valet now," she replied, quite proud of her position.

"Oh, so _you're_ the talk of the locker room…" he stated, folding his arms across his chest and leaning up against the wall. She looked at him in bewilderment and he continued. "Yep, you've got a few people's panties in a wad."

"I didn't mean to. Do you think…" she trailed off, not really sure what to say.

"I know you didn't. They just think RVD got special treatment, not to mention how you got hired on the spot. Don't worry about it and don't let anyone give you a hard time," he encouraged, patting her on the shoulder before he turned to go. She stood there a moment, trying to make sense out the conversation, but then returned to RVD's room to settle down and wait on him.

"Good. You're here," he stated coming in the door. He was dressed for his match—a flaming red dragon breathing fire plastered across his singlet. "It's about time to head out. You ready?"

"To go to the ring?" she asked, staring at him in astonishment.

"Yeah, but you'll have to take care of yourself out there."

"No problem," Samia replied, butterflies quickly bubbling up in her stomach and her legs beginning to go numb. She just hoped she could stay upright once on the other side of the black curtain.

"I'm gonna stretch a bit more and then we'll be on our way," he stated and gracefully dropped down to the floor. She nodded, looking at him, but then had to strain to keep her eyes away as he managed to put himself in positions of which only some women dream.

Finally he popped up with a contented sigh and simply said, "Let's go." "Okay," she replied tentatively and followed him out the door and down the hall.

RVD could hear the click of her heels behind him and thought about how he was taking a big chance on her, especially with her coming to the ring. He knew he could weed her out if she freaked ringside but he kind of liked her. He had talked a friend of his in running every background check known to humanity on her, and between that and their talk last week, she seemed to be perfect for the job. He hoped it worked and not just because he had a growing affinity towards her.

"I don't usually cheat so you don't have to run interference…unless I yell at you to," he explained as they hovered at the bottom of the stairs. "Watch the pyro smoke, it'll choke you. Be my cheerleader and have fun. Just be yourself. You'll do great." He squeezed her arm and headed up to the entrance as his music started. She gulped and started after him, having to hurry to catch up with him and wishing she could be as calm as he was. The two stepped out together from behind the dark curtain. To keep up with his long strides, she jogged along side of him and attempted to pull in the crowd. The new valet accepted RVD's Intercontinental belt as Spike Dudley's music came over the loud speakers.

* * *

"Who's that, J. R.?" Lawler excitedly asked, despite the fact that Lillian Garcia had just announced her. 

"That's Samia Carlsen," Ross sarcastically replied but, after being the only one privy to his angry glare, he added, "She's RVD's new valet."

"She looks stuck up with that suit on," Lawler replied with one of his condescending laughs. "I wonder what got into her."

"Jerry, I think she looks like a fine upstanding lady," J. R. chided.

"Yeah, stuck up," Lawler muttered.

Paying little attention to the last comment, Ross continued to do what he was paid to do—announce. "Samia's originally from Athens, Georgia, and now lives in Atlanta. She's a graduate of University of Georgia with a couple of degrees in criminal justice and, it's says here, a J.D. She passed the bar exam but she's not a practicing lawyer."

"Wonder why," Jerry responded with another of his laughs.

"Beats me," J. R. replied and turned his focus to the ring.

* * *

Upon his win, Samia scrambled into the ring with the belt and held it high above her head before handing it to him. The lights and music cut for the commercial and the two made their way out. Neither saw Kevin Nash and Shawn Michaels standing in the shadows of the entrance. 

"Kev, who's that?" Shawn whispered.

"Her name's Samia," Nash replied nonchalantly and returned to his conversation with one of the pyrotechnics crew, who he was paying off to screw up the Undertaker's fireworks.

"She's kinda cute," Michaels interrupted, apparently running on a one-track train of thought. "She could use some loosening up though," he commented as he watched her and RVD walking down the hall behind them.

"She's what Molly Holly is trying to be," Nash replied and turned back to the pyro guy but then the wheels in his mind began spinning. "You know, Shawn, maybe you're just the man to do that. You _are_ a sexy boy."

"Yeah, I know," Shawn replied conceitedly.

"Sure, Shawn, sure. Go see who else you can corrupt," the taller man said, patting Michaels on the back before sealing the deal for an unforgettable entrance.

* * *

Three days later, Samia met Van Dam at the Hartsfield airport. "Ready for two months on the road?" he asked when she set her luggage down in the seats at the terminal. 

"I sure hope so. If not, too late now," she responded with a smile.

"Our flight's been delayed an hour. There's a bookstore down that way, if you're interested," he informed her and pointed to his right.

"Thanks. See you in a while," she replied, heading in the direction he had indicated. The bookstore was fairly large but the magazine rack caught her attention. She picked up the latest issue of RAW's magazine and began flipping through it.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" The Texan accent of the speaker caught her off guard.

"Yes?" she said and turned to find Shawn Michaels at her side.

Having caught her attention, he flashed his devastatingly handsome smile and leaned up against the rack. "Samia, right?"

"Yeah. Shawn Michaels, right?" she asked, laughing, hoping to hide her nervousness.

Michaels pulled the magazine out of her hands and replied, "I guess that takes care of introductions. Want to get somethin' to eat?"

"I've already had lunch, but thank you. Anyhow, I really should just hang around here for now," she explained and started to reach for the magazine again.

"You're not gonna miss your flight," he replied and tucked the glossy pages back into the rack.

Samia wasn't very comfortable being around him, especially with his reputation. The nWo might have been her favorite on television but she didn't want to meet them in a dark alley. She knew what they were capable of and didn't want to be on their bad side at all. The woman began walking towards the fiction section and kept talking. "I'm not hungry. You don't have to worry about me." She picked up the latest John Grisham novel and began thumbing through it.

"I just thought I could get to know the newest face in the WWE a little bit better," Shawn continued, slightly taken aback that he hadn't hooked her for lunch right off the bat.

"Thank you for the interest," she said, hoping to end the conversation, and headed for the cash register to purchase the book. Michaels hung back until she was done and then followed her out of the store.

"If you're sure…" he offered again and flashed his pearly whites.

She hesitated, trying to gain her composure as she was about to melt from his smile. "I'm sure. Thank you though," she replied and took a few steps back. It was then she felt a hand on her back.

"We got a problem, Samia?" Van Dam asked, surprising her.

"No, sir. Mr. Michaels was saying 'goodbye,'" she answered as professional as possible. Taking the hint, HBK waved and did an about face to leave.

"Are you sure everything's fine?"

"Yeah, Shawn just stopped in to introduce himself," she explained as if it was nothing.

"With Shawn Michaels, that's not all there is, but alright. Let me know though if they give you any problems." Samia nodded and they walked back to the terminal together. "What'd you get?" he asked as she pulled the book out.

The novel reminded him of her previous occupation. "You didn't tell me Monday why you'd quit such a prestigious job for something like this."

"Trust me, it wasn't very 'prestigious.' I've been wantin' to find a way out and just haven't yet," she sighed and then continued. "I thought I wanted to be a D.A. but it sucks away your entire life. You see things you never, ever wanted to see." She stopped and shivered. "It doesn't matter. I don't have the ruthlessness it takes to make it big in a firm and I'm not one of those who's gonna represent people who don't deserve to get off and watch those who deserve justice wallow in the system."

"Hmm…" he replied, at a loss for a response. He definitely wasn't going to say what he was thinking—that she was too naïve to be a real lawyer. "And this was what you were doing?"

"This last job, no. It was a step removed and I think it may have been worse. I guess you've always been a wrestler, huh?" she asked, preferring to change the topic.

"Pretty much," he said with a nod of his head.

* * *

"That was one tough match. I thought I had lost the belt," RVD proclaimed, flopping down in a chair, exhausted after his match at the next RAW. 

"_You_ thought you lost it. I thought I was gonna have a dying duck fit out there," she excitedly replied.

"I didn't have a clue I was getting the best cheerleader along with the best valet," he commented, laughing inwardly at her Southern idiom. They always seemed to pop up when they were alone.

"You're just being a kiss up," Samia responded to his compliment. "I'm not being the best by letting you sit there without water. I'll be back."

"I've still got some," he said, shaking a bottle that was about a quarter full.

"And it's about gone too," she pointed out and slipped out of the long black overcoat that complimented a black sheath underneath to head out the door. She saw Shawn Michaels approaching but only smiled at him and then looked down, hoping he would pass by.

"Hey, chick. How ya doing?" he inquired, stopping her, and she backed up against the wall. Nash was behind him and they flanked her on either side.

"I'm fine, thank you," she replied, glancing behind them for an avenue of escape. "And you, Mr. Michaels? Mr. Nash?" she coolly asked and looked at each of them in turn. This was any girl's dream but she wasn't quite sure it was what _she_ really wanted.

"We're just hangin'," Michaels responded. A moment of silence followed and, although Nash broke it, Samia was grateful for it to have ended.

"So, _Miss_ Carlsen, how did you get such an interesting name?"

"It's Middle Eastern. It means 'zenith' in my mother's native language. You know, the zenith being the highest point in heaven," she explained and then inwardly blanched, expecting some perverted comment from Michaels.

However, he pondered her answer and then replied, "So, if your name means the highest point in heaven, then you would have to be an angel. Cool. Fits ya."

She smiled back at him but then caught herself and demurely replied, "Thank you, but it's only a name."

"Alright, cutie, want to go out and get a drink with us after the show?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest and staring at her.

She caught herself smiling but then looked away. "Thank you but I can't. I have to get back now," the woman declined and then slid out from between them only to see RVD coming around the corner. "I was just comin' with your water. You didn't have to…" she trailed off when she noticed he was looking over her head at Nash and HBK behind her. They only waved at RVD and walked off.

"Samia." She turned back around to face him when he said her name. "You'll probably wanna know you were caught on camera with the two of them? The whole arena saw it." Her jaw dropped in surprise. "Is there something going on between you and them? They're trouble and a girl like you doesn't need to have anything to do with them."

She just shook her head and replied, "I'll be back with your water shortly." They parted ways and she continued on her path but passed Nash and Michaels standing off to the side and talking. She knew they had heard her "conversation" with RVD but she didn't hear them laughing to themselves about having pissed off RVD on purpose.

TBC…


	3. Too Many Questions

For disclaimers, warnings, character list, etc., see chapter one.

_**Chapter III: Too Many Questions**_

Samia's fourth full week on the road found her extremely bored. She felt like she had spent almost more time in the gym in the past weeks than in her entire life. Window shopping had become a bore too. She and RVD, along with some of his friends, went out to the theatre, the movies, and some baseball games, but the evenings seemed to never get there. After the first two weeks of watching practice, she decided the best thing to do was to watch carefully and see if she could learn a thing or two. However, the blonde couldn't take her eyes off the nWo while watching them run drills in the ring.

When Samia and RVD arrived at the arena for another night of action, she hoped the faction wouldn't bother her again and that it would be another quiet Monday, much like the house shows had been. "Why don't you go ahead and get out and I'll find a parkin' spot?" she offered from the driver's seat, elated to have found something to do that involved part of her job.

"Sure, see you inside," he replied and climbed out of the car to head across the lot. She found the closest parking spot, turned off the ignition, and popped the trunk to retrieve the black sports bags.

"Hey, Angel." She jumped in surprise and turned to see Shawn Michaels standing behind her, his black and white nWo shirt glowering at her. He had materialized from out of nowhere. "Let me help," the wrestler offered.

"I've got it. Really, I do," she replied and moved in front of the trunk as if to shield their belongings.

"I didn't say you couldn't handle it. I'm just trying to be nice," HBK stated and tried to reach around her for the largest bag.

"Nice? Is that what you call the trouble you got me into last time?" Samia asked, scooting over to stop him and putting her hands on her hips.

"No, me and Kevin just wanted to get to know you a little more," he innocently answered with a little pout.

"I appreciate the gesture but I value my job. Rob trusts me and I'd like to keep it that way. Y'all have a bad reputation," she explained but quickly held up a hand at the offended look on his face, "now whether or not that's the truth is a different story. My job is to stand behind Rob and that's what I'm gonna do."

"Hey, now. No one is asking you to do otherwise." Michaels stopped abruptly. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught RVD staring at them.

Samia quickly spoke, the cool professionalism returning. "Mr. Michaels was just…"

Michaels cut her off. "RVD, this girl deserves a raise. You ain't gotta worry about her." He picked up the gym bag and handed it off to Van Dam. "Now, the nWo on the other hand…" HBK pointed at him accusingly and then walked off.

"Rob, I…"

"Don't worry about it. Take a chill pill," he said with a smile and squeezed her shoulder. "Let's go." She stared at his back for a moment as he walked off, slightly surprised that he had nothing else to say, and then grabbed the rest of the bags and hurried to catch up with him.

* * *

"J. R., is that chick dead? What?" Lawler exclaimed after seeing the footage their crafty cameraman had shot. "That's the second time that we know of that Shawn's come on to her. What girl wouldn't want the Heartbreak Kid?" 

"Maybe she's just faithful to her man," Ross responded, reprovingly.

"She's not dating anyone, J. R. And you know that _I_, of all people, ought to know. She ought to be grateful that some man is actually coming on to her. Run with it, Samia. Get you some, girl!"

"King!"

* * *

The next week found Samia socializing while RVD was waiting for his match. She had finally made enough good friends to quit clinging to him at every show. "After Rob had that tag-team against Booker T and Goldust, I know exactly what you mean," Samia agreed with Lita and started to laugh with her but the laugh caught in her throat as she was spun around. Dressed in black slacks and a white dress shirt with one too many buttons undone, Shawn Michaels wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her to him. He took the long-stem red rose that was in his mouth and stuck it between her teeth as she started to form a question. 

"Shall we dance?" he asked and then took her hand in his to waltz her around the closed cafeteria.

She quickly pulled the rose from her mouth to speak. "Excuse me…but, um, you can have this back." He took the flower from her and tucked it in her French braid, never missing a beat. She knew she should just stop but couldn't help keeping up with him since she hadn't danced like this in so long. He held a tight grip on her waist but a feather light touch on her hand. She tickled the back of his neck and he smiled.

"You dance beautifully," he said, interrupting the silence in the entire room.

"Thank you. My dad thought every lady should know how to dance. He was teaching me for my wedding…So how in the world did you learn?"

"Let's say that was the only elective left open my sophomore year of college. I was gonna show up enough to pass the class but when I found out there was this hot chick in there…well, you can figure it out from there."

"That's a no-brainer," she scoffed as he twirled her with one hand.

"Really? I found out about this hot chick that just got hired by the WWE and I thought I'd find out if she's in dance class. Show me how much you know. Go out dancing with me tonight. Just me and you," he said, lowering his voice to husky whisper to try to persuade her.

"Are you crazy?"

"I must be since I'm gonna do this," Shawn answered before he spun her around, drew her up close to him, and then bent her over his arm. His lips hovered above hers. Samia's heart stopped and she quickly drew in her breath. Even if she had wanted, she didn't have the ability to push him away.

"Shawn Michaels! Let go of her now!" Rob Van Dam shouted at him from across the room. Startled, Shawn let go of her but quickly caught her inches from the floor. She didn't bother with an excuse when he pulled her up to her feet, which didn't matter since she could hardly breathe from Shawn dropping her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Showing your lady a good time."

"Back off, dude," he growled at Michaels.

"Is that a threat?" Shawn returned the snarl.

"Do I look stupid?" Van Dam moved a few steps closer towards them.

"Do you want me to answer that?"

"What do you think?"

"What is this? Who's Line's 'Questions Only'?" Shawn bantered, their retorts beginning to overlap.

"Alright, guys," Samia cut in, stepping between the two that were now nose to nose. "I'm fine. No harm done. Rob, don't let him bother you before your match with Bubba Ray."

"Bubba Ray? Interesting," Shawn said, rubbing his chin. He had no intention of doing anything but had taken a few lessons from the Cerebral Assassin. Mentality was half the game.

"Get lost," Rob bit out. Not waiting to hear a response, he locked arms with Samia and they were off. She was grateful RVD never said a word about the incident, especially since it had been a guilty pleasure. The rose in her hair was finally remembered and she quickly tucked it in her handbag, hoping a particular someone hadn't noticed.

* * *

"RVD should have never interrupted," Jerry Lawler barked. "Couldn't he see they were having a _moment_? That is so rude!" 

J. R. ignored his comments. "I would like to know what Shawn Michaels' plans are—what exactly the nWo is up to with this poor girl."

"I wanna know what Shawn and Samia are up to," the other announcer cackled. Ross rolled his eyes and wondered why he wasn't used to the pervert's comments by now.

* * *

Back at the hotel, Samia twirled the red rose between her fingers and wondered what she should do with it. She wasn't crushing on Shawn Michaels but it had been a long time since someone gave her flowers. There was a point he was trying to make with all this and she was sure it didn't solely involve her. All the woman could figure out was that he was playing RVD to knock him off his game. However, what would be the point in that? Rob had nothing they could possibly want besides a good match. He still held the Intercontinental belt but only X-Pac would be interested in that, who hadn't so much as spoken to RVD, even to make a threat. What had Rob done to become a target of the nWo? 

She smelled it again as she rose from the bed to throw it away but the knock on her door surprised her. "Just a moment," she called, dropping the flower in the wastebasket, sitting down at the table, and spreading out some paperwork. "Come in."

Van Dam appeared on the other side of the door and she realized the basket was right beside the adjoining doors. "Do you have a print-out of our schedule for next week?"

"Yes," she replied and began sifting through papers before producing the right one.

"Thanks," he said, taking it from her and turning to go. "'Night," he called behind him as he shut the door.

She started to reply but the door was already closed. Sighing in relief that he hadn't noticed the rose and said anything, she started to ready for bed.

However, RVD had noticed it in the wastebasket. He, too, was thinking the same thing. Why had he become Shawn Michaels' target? Samia wasn't the kind of girl HBK usually had on his arm, especially if it took that much effort to get her. Rob had been worried at first but she had stood fast with each temptation. Had he not gotten to like and appreciate what she did for him, he couldn't have cared less, beyond the damaged pride, if she walked out on him. Was it because Shawn couldn't stand the fact that he had been turned down—more than once—by her? One way or the other, the wrestler and his valet were marked.

TBC…


	4. An Unexpected Finish

**_Chapter IV: An Unexpected Finish_**

"Rob, you've been pacin'. Is somethin' wrong?" Samia asked when she entered his room to find him wearing a track into the carpet.

"I haven't been pacing. Well, a little. My match is against Guerrero tonight. Just focusing," he answered, not missing a step.

"It's not like you can't handle him," she replied and made a mental note not to interrupt him again when he was 'pacing.'

"Yeah, but did you see the last time we went up against each other? That ladder match was brutal." He dropped to the floor to stretch some more.

"Same gimmick?" she asked, taking a seat across the room to stay out of the way.

"No, just straight up, one fall. But with Guerrero, nothing's straight up," he answered, twisting himself into a pretzel.

"You're just acting a little different."

"I ain't had my pot for the day."

"Excuse me?" she blurted out, staring at him wide-eyed. She knew she hadn't heard him right.

"Think you could roll me a joint? You know how to do that right? You _were _in college," he said, twisting himself into another odd position and then pointing across the room. "It's over there in my bag."

"I, uh, I don't…" she stuttered in shock. Of course, there were the rumors he was always high on something but she really didn't believe them to be true before she met him and definitely didn't believe them after over a month on the road with him.

"Just kidding. It's alright." He laughed, thinking it hilarious that she actually believed what he had just said. "I'm just kidding. It's all just a rumor, I promise."

"Okay," she responded tentatively, not sure what to say. "I'm sorry. You just threw me off there…"

"You're too gullible," he sighed. "Always have a healthy level of distrust."

Samia wondered if he was saying those words because of Shawn Michaels' recent actions. She hadn't said anything about the incidents and neither had he. Maybe this was his way of avoiding any confrontation with her about it but still get his point across. Pondering these thoughts, she had no response and quietly waited for his match to start.

"It's time to go!" RVD announced, startling her out of those thoughts. He rose from where he was stretching on the floor and glanced over her outfit—a pair of navy blue pants and a matching waist jacket. "Can you run in those heels?"

"Yeah…why?" she tentatively asked.

"Be careful. Watch Guerrero close. I don't think Benoit will be a concern. Don't think twice about hauling ass if they threaten you."

"Suuuure," she drew the word out, thinking maybe it wasn't such a good idea that she go out there with him.

"Don't worry. Let's go! That's Eddie's music," he said as they headed down the hall. She hesitated but he grabbed her hand and tugged her along. She gulped at the sound of "Latino Heat."

When the music changed, the crowd roared as RVD stepped out from under the Titantron. The anxiety she had about Guerrero melted as awe filled her body. Each time she made an entrance with him was like the first—without the initial anxiety. While they weren't cheering for her, she was still amazed at the sheer volume the fans could emit for one wrestler. The steel ramp under them vibrated.

As they made their way down, she caught sight of a sign that read "Samia, be my valet!" It was all she could do _not_ to grab RVD and tell him. Seeing a sign for her made her feel as if she was accepted by the fans and on her way. She thought she was going to bust with excitement as she climbed into the ring with him and held his belt high as he worked the crowd. She stepped through the ropes to the ring apron but stopped there when she saw Guerrero pulling various items out from under the ring.

"Rob, he can't do that!" she shouted, pointing at Eddie. Not giving Van Dam time to respond, she started yelling at Hebner. "Hey, ref! This isn't a hard core match!"

RVD turned to her and cut her off. "If that's what he wants, that's what I'll give him. Doesn't matter to me," he said the last, looking from Samia to the referee. He then shouted at Guerrero, "Whatever, man! Everything's cool when you're RVD."

Guerrero shrugged his shoulders and slapped his red and gold clad behind. "Bring it on," he drawled in his thick accent.

Samia slipped down off the apron to take her usual position on Rob's side of the ring. The match was under way with a head shot to RVD by Guerrero with a stop sign. The metal sign landed within her reach and she quickly pulled it out and shoved it back under the ring. Any item that fell within her reach disappeared. At one point, she ducked from a flying trash can that barely missed her. If RVD thought the ladder match was rough, this was worse. When she could tell he was about spent, she yelled even louder to encourage him. It was all she could do to hold herself back from helping him by tripping Guerrero up because it had been Rob's request. She held her breath as RVD headed for the top rope and executed a perfect frog splash. She prayed that this was much better than his earlier one from which Eddie had managed to roll away. He gracefully flew through the air and Guerrero was history.

RVD rolled off Eddie to rest for a moment. She was in the ring in a heartbeat to stand beside him and hand him back his belt but he was in a daze and was beginning to stand. She started to offer him her hand but caught sight of Guerrero out of the corner of her eye coming at RVD with a chair. She tried to warn him but wasn't quick enough. RVD went back down from the blow across his back and Guerrero raised the chair again. Without a second thought, she put herself between the chair and RVD using her body to protect his. She cowered before Guerrero and tried to steel herself for the blow but Eddie stopped in mid-swing. He looked at her surprisingly, dropped the chair, and walked off.

When the blow never came, Samia opened one eye and then the other when she didn't see Guerrero. Looking around to verify that he was indeed gone, she helped RVD out of the ring and slung his arm over her shoulder to lend him some support as they headed up the ramp.

* * *

Michaels looked over at Nash. "Did you see what I just saw? Is this chick for real? There's no way I'd have done that for anyone," Shawn exclaimed with a disbelieving laugh and Nash returned the comment with a glare. "Well, except for you. I would for you, Kev. Ya know, she's got a lot of loyalty to him. No matter what I say to her, she won't budge, even after that whole rose and waltz deal the other week." 

"Yeah, and you can charm the pants right off anybody," Nash replied to get a rise out of him but Shawn missed the taunt. Kevin then leaned back in his chair and stroked his goatee in thought.

"She was willin' to take a chair shot for RVD. She's just a _valet_," Shawn said, gesturing at the monitor as if to point at what Samia had done. "Those girls don't care that much. They're more worried about saving their own butts. We could really use someone like that in the nWo. In a way, I mean that sarcastically and, in a way, I don't."

Kevin didn't respond at first but then he began, "Loyalty and respect like that is hard to come by in this business. Everybody's turning on everybody to save their own skin."

Shawn waved a hand, dismissing his next comment. "Nah, what good would she be to us?"

"She's got a law degree, you know," Kevin replied, shaking his finger as the epiphany hit. "Think of the things we could get by Vince with her and the things he _can't_ get over on us!" Nash abruptly laughed. "With a little bit of work, we can make her into a wrestler. It'll take a while to make her as good as Trish and Lita, but overnight, she can take Torrie or Stacy."

"And we can piss off RVD in the process!" Shawn interjected.

"My point exactly. It'll be so much easier to mold her instead of trying to turn someone else who's been in the business awhile. This is gonna be so good," Nash explained, rubbing his hands together with an evil grin.

"We've got to think this through. We can't just kidnap her and force her onto our side," Michaels said, already attempting to formulate plans.

"Just sleep with her. That'll work."

"That's what I'm telling ya! I couldn't drag her out of here if I wanted. Besides, I really don't think that's gonna work," Shawn replied to Nash's suggestion in frustration.

"Yeah, you're right. Just keep talking to her. You never know. Get her drunk enough and you could do anything."

"Yeah, right," HBK sarcastically replied. "That is if she remembers anything. I bet she's had a total three drinks her whole entire life."

"Alright, forget getting her drunk. Let's get the other guys on board and see what they say. Right now, we'll make RVD paranoid and try to woo her in. I don't know exactly how yet but we'll take everything a step at a time. So much fun!" They both laughed as they give each other the nWo "handshake."

* * *

Samia gingerly tended to the cuts on RVD's head from the chairshot as he lounged across the dressing room couch. The trainers had been busy with a severe injury Christian had sustained, so she decided she could handle something this small instead of Rob having to wait. At the sound of a knock at the door, she rose to answer it but RVD put a hand on her arm to stop her. "Who is it?" he called. 

"Spike," came the response from the other side of the door.

"Come on in," Rob wearily replied and then hissed as Samia cleaned another cut with antiseptic.

The fuzzy blonde head appeared around the edge of the door. "Just wanted to stop in and say that was an awesome match." RVD nodded and Spike continued. "Hang on to this girl. After that match, she's a keeper. Well, gotta go," Spike said and quickly disappeared before Rob had a chance to respond.

After Samia helped the tired wrestler get ready to leave, she pulled the car around for him and quickly placed their bags in the trunk. As each was climbing into their respective seats, Booker T stopped them.

"Rob, great match!" Booker remarked and then turned to Samia. "Did anybody tell you what kind of damage chairs can do?" She sheepishly grinned back at him over the car. Booker T waved and headed off to his own rental, leaving RVD staring at him in bafflement. When Samia slid into car, he did the same.

Once inside, Rob couldn't resist asking her. "That's twice tonight since the match that something's been said. You wanna explain, or should I start asking around?"

"Explain what?" she replied, hoping he would just let it go or maybe it wasn't what he thought.

"What everybody's talking about with you and that match."

"Well, you see, I was gonna take a chair shot for you but Guerrero just walked off," she explained without embellishment or excuse, glancing at him apologetically. She was grateful she was driving since she wouldn't have to look him in the eyes when he reprimanded her.

"What? When…"

"When he hit you after the match, he was coming back for another. I don't know what got into me, but I couldn't let him hit you again."

"Samia, I think you are insane," he replied with a laugh and she visibly relaxed, realizing that she wasn't in trouble. "Promise me you won't do that again."

"Nope," she answered because she knew she would do it again if she had to.

"Nope, what?"

"I'm not promisin' anything," the woman answered, her eyes straight ahead on the road.

"Samia, you could have been seriously hurt."

"And so could you."

"Yeah, but this is my job. I go through this kind of stuff all the time," Rob explained and then paused as he realized a possible reason as to why she had acted that way in the ring. "You didn't do that to prove to me that you don't have anything going with the nWo?"

"Are _you_ insane? No way. I wasn't thinkin' at the time, but even if I had been, I probably still would have done it. Or at least come after _him_ with a chair instead," she added the last with a giggle.

Rob grew quiet and she glanced over at him, wondering what had happened. Something in his eyes was different when he said, "Just remember, next time, he might not choose to walk off. Just be careful."

She sensed the seriousness in his comment, just nodded, and continued to drive.

* * *

Samia stood in the hotel's guest laundry room, sorting through her and Rob's laundry. She had been thoroughly embarrassed the first time she had picked up his pair of red silk bikini briefs. Now it was all routine. The machine started its familiar buzz and she settled in a chair with a book to wait for the cycle to end. The book was only there for a cover-up. This was where she did her best thinking and she thought it would look odd if someone found her staring off into space. 

A sigh escaped her lips at the thought of how handsome Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash were, not to mention how much sex appeal Triple H had. After severing ties with Stephanie McMahon and joining the nWo, he oozed sex from every pore. She hadn't had any encounters with him yet since he was still out of commission from elbow surgery. They had passed in the hall on occasion with the rest of the nWo but no words had personally been exchanged between the two. She tried to remind herself that sex appeal was not everything. She had watched each of the members of the Kliq, DeGeneration-X, and the nWo destroy other people's lives. But that did nothing to cover-up just how gorgeous or sexy those three particular members were. She had joked once with a friend that, when God made the perfect man, he made Kevin Nash.

Samia actually flipped to the last place in the book she was reading but drifted off again. The blonde began to wonder if Shawn Michaels had been making passes at her when nothing had seem to come out of it yet against her and Rob besides a little distrust, which had already been put to rest. Thinking of Shawn's words made her consider her own romantic relationships, which were not exactly her forte. Marriage by thirty had been a goal but the deadline was rapidly approaching. She wanted to be young enough to enjoy her children and still have a life once _they_ were grown and married with their own children. She wouldn't mind having a guy as good-looking as Triple H but from his and his "friends'" actions, she knew she would be nothing but a stain on the carpet when they were done with her.

She wanted a man who shared her same interests—namely wrestling, which was easy enough in this business, but also things like baseball and, oddly enough, theatre. She scoffed at the thought of anyone in the nWo ever setting foot in a theatre. She didn't want to have to climb a tree just to kiss him but she still wanted to be able to lay her head on his chest. He had to be someone she could trust and others could trust him as well. Long hair was not a must but she did prefer to be able to run her fingers through it. Dark blonde would be nice too but, once again, it wasn't a requirement. She tried to conjure up an image of this man in her mind and gasped when she realized who she had just described—RVD! She had to ask herself if that was why she was willing to protect him from Guerrero and if he was what she had been waiting for—with the slight exception of his disinterested neutrality on the subject of theatre, quite possibly. She and Lita had wanted to see _Phantom of the Opera _and talked the guys into going when they described it as a rock opera. On another occasion, she had managed getting him to go with her to see _Rent _after a description of the plot. She shook her head to bring her back on track. Rob certainly didn't seem to reciprocate the same feelings, if indeed that was what she was feeling. _If it's meant to be, it's meant to be, _she thought,_ que sera, sera._

When the wash cycle ended, Samia moved the clothes over into the dryer and decided she would check on Rob since he wasn't up when she had left to do laundry. She tentatively knocked on their adjoining doors and barely heard a mumbled, "Come in."

"Rob? Are you up yet?"

"No," he mumbled from under his pillow.

"I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone. Do you want me to wake you up later?" she asked, backtracking to her door.

"No," he replied with an exasperated sigh and pulled the pillow off his head. "I need to get up. I just don't want to."

"How're you feelin' this mornin'?" she asked, sitting down in the chair beside the bed.

"Like absolute crap," he groaned as he padded the pillows up behind his back and sat up to lean against them. His chest was completely bare and she couldn't help but admire. Even though she had seen him like this before, her cheeks went warm and she prayed that she wasn't blushing.

"You didn't get hurt too bad last night, did you?"

"Nah, nothing major," he answered with a stretch and felt his muscles burn. He usually wasn't this sore the morning after a match. He took great pains warming up to make sure of that but, then again, he usually was hardly in those types of matches anymore. "I need a real good massage." Samia almost offered but just wasn't that comfortable with him yet, especially after the thoughts she had had that morning. "You wouldn't mind, would ya?"

"Um, well…" She didn't think she had much of a choice as he rolled over on his stomach and threw off the covers to reveal his black BVDs. She sat beside him on the bed and started at his feet and moved up. When she couldn't quite get his shoulders the way she wanted, she found herself straddling his back without thinking. He moaned as she worked through the knots in his shoulders and her mind took off in a direction it never should have. _Baseball, baseball, John Smoltz, curveball, slider, doubleplay… _She ran the terms over and over in her mind as her hands kneaded flesh. When her arms grew tired, she slid off him and settled back in the chair. Her cheeks burned when she realized she had just been straddling Rob Van Dam on a hotel bed!

"God, chica! Where did you learn to do that?" He rolled back over to look at her. When he saw her flushed cheeks, he tried to casually pull the sheets back up over him. "Feeling much better now. Thank you very much. Um…when's our flight leave today?" Rob asked, trying to make small talk to cut the tension in the room.

"We're close enough to drive. It'll take longer to fly out. We can head out today or tomorrow. It's up to you."

"Giants playing tonight?"

"Yeah," she answered, a little surprised that he initiated a question about her second love. "Against the Braves, no less."

"Well, why don't we leave tomorrow and you can get us some lower level tickets to the game tonight." Then he tagged on, "If you don't mind."

"I would love to," she almost shouted but was able to contain herself. "How many you want me to get? Ask Spike if he wants to come? Anybody else?"

"Just two…if that's alright?"

Samia nodded and headed out of the room, smiling once on the other side of the door. _Maybe, just maybe… _she hopefully thought.

TBC…


	5. Running Interference

_**Chapter V: Running Interference**_

"Rob, I'm back," Samia hollered when she didn't see Rob as she came into the dressing room door. "Matt said 'yes,' that he would be glad to…" She trailed off when she noticed the room was a disaster and he stalked out of the bathroom, continuing to turn the room upside down. "What's wrong?"

"The belt's gone. Did you do anything with it?" RVD asked as if he was inquiring about their travel arrangements, his back to her. He stopped digging through his bags a second time to look at her, putting his hands on hips.

"No, we came in and I left to go talk to Matt and Lita," she replied, recounting the events on her hand. "Then…No, I came straight back. This is the first time I've been here since we arrived."

"Someone must've come in while I was in Vince's office and took it. I know they did," he adamantly stated, more to himself than to her. "Will you help me look for it… please." Samia nodded and then put the room back in order as she carefully searched for the belt. Nothing turned up.

"Don't worry," she said, trying to comfort him when she really wanted to throw something through the wall in frustration. "It's got to be around here somewhere. I was going to go get us something to drink after I came back to check on things. Let me poke around and see what I can find out," she offered with a wink but it was lost on his anger…or so she thought. Rob noticed and he smiled to himself when she disappeared out the door.

Samia took some time asking around to their friends but no one had heard or seen anything. With waterbottles tucked under one arm, she turned the corner to come back to the room and caught sight of X-Pac knocking on RVD's door, dropping Rob's belt, and hightailing it. She yelled and then threw a waterbottle at him but was too late. He was already gone.

RVD heard her scream and jerked the door open. She was standing back up from where she picked up the belt. He took it from her and found 'nWo' spray painted in black across it. When he gave her an accusing look, she replied, "It was X-Pac. I swear to god. He went that way." She pointed in the direction that he had disappeared. Van Dam shoved the belt back at her and was off like lightning in search of X-Pac. Samia tossed it on the couch, slammed the door behind her, and quickly followed.

Rob found the smallest member of the nWo about to enter the faction's dressing room. He didn't think he had been seen, so he had stopped to smell the roses—or, more like, what perfume the divas were wearing. Thinking about the serious trouble he was about to get in, Samia wanted to scream at RVD to stop. He jerked X-Pac around by his ample black hair and leveled him with a punch. X-Pac came back with a Russian leg sweep, sending RVD down to the hard floor.

"I may not be able to interfere in matches," Samia muttered to herself, "but, by god, you can't stop me out here." She folded a chair, preparing to lay a shot across X-Pac's back. He was staggering from a drop kick to the face by RVD and didn't see Samia coming. Thinking homerun, she swung with all her might. The chair stopped in mid-air and was jerked from her hands, sending her off balance. Righting herself, she turned to see Shawn Michaels tossing her chair aside. The Big Show pulled X-Pac up into a bear hug and Samia ran to place herself between RVD and Michaels. She hoped that HBK wouldn't do anything to her to get to him. Rob tried to push around her but she turned to place her hands on his chest. "Let it go! He's not worth it. Take him in the ring." RVD backed off, glaring at his opponents, and then began stalking down the hall, tossing anything that got in his path.

"Really, Shawn?" she angrily asked, turning to glare at Michaels. Big Show dropped an irate X-Pac and they both headed back into the dressing room without a word or a second glance at her. Triple H met them at the door.

"What's all the ruckus about?" Hunter asked.

"Beats me," Shawn replied with a shrug of his shoulder.

"Yeah, right," Samia sarcastically spat, stepping closer.

Shawn stuck his head in the dressing room. "X-Pac! What did you do?" The aforementioned yelled back, explaining everything.

Shawn turned back to Samia, holding out his hands apologetically and giving her a pout. "Sorry, can't help you there. It was all the Kid's doing. Can't blame the rest of us. Honestly."

"I don't know why I believe you, but I do. Don't prove me otherwise," she responded, pointing her finger accusingly at him.

She turned to go and heard Shawn giving X-Pac a high five. "Good job. Next time, let us know about it, okay?" he said with a laugh. Samia shook her head in disgust and headed in RVD's direction, following his path of destruction.

Van Dam stormed into McMahon's office and he didn't waste time with pleasantries. "I want X-Pac in a match _tonight_! If I don't get him, there will be hell to pay, McMahon!" he shouted, striding across the room.

Vince jumped up from his chair to try and calm him for fear of what he would do. "Alright, alright. You can have him. I'll put you in after Bubba Ray's match." Van Dam unfolded his arms off his chest and nodded. "However," the chairman added to placate him, "the title won't be on the line. Deal?" Plus, a title match of that caliber would need more than an hour to build up and sell—more like two weeks.

"Even better," he said with a snort and a half grin.

Samia had barely been able to catch up with him in his rampage and made it into the office as he turned to go. He put his arm around her waist to escort her out. "I'm through here. It's all cool. Let's go." She could tell in his demeanor that he had gotten the match and he was ready to open up a "can." The valet dutifully followed behind him to help him prepare for the match, trying hard not to think about his arm around her waist.

As the challenger, Rob headed to the ring first. Samia knew quite well that RVD was easily capable of beating X-Pac, but how capable would he be of leaving the ring of his own free will after the nWo was done with him was another question. She remained in the ring while X-Pac entered with Michaels and Triple H. The woman wasn't going to back down from them just because Shawn had been "harassing" her. Rob obviously didn't look like he was backing down either but his was for another reason altogether.

X-Pac wasted no time in starting on trash talking to RVD but Michaels just looked behind RVD and yelled above the crowd to Samia, "Fancy meeting you here, Angel. Come here often?"

She rolled her eyes and ordered, "Stay out of this. You hear me? This is not your match."

"Only if you go out with me tonight," he replied with a sensuous grin. She only glared at him as she climbed out of the ring.

Samia intently watched the match from Rob's corner. It seemed to be just a normal, everyday match for Rob and for herself, until Triple H and HBK split up and headed around the ring towards her from either side. She had seen them conspiring in the corner but assumed it was about the match. She glanced around her but the only avenue of escape was through the crowd and, to her, that was no option. No one in the nWo had ever attempted or threatened to hurt her, so once again she decided to stand her ground. Michaels sidled up to her on her left side and Triple H on the right.

Helmsley spoke first. "I don't think we've had the pleasure." He held out his hand and formally introduced himself. "Hunter Hearst Helmsley."

She returned the handshake. "Samia Carlsen," she said at first but then jerked her hand out of his. "I don't think so." Shawn and Hunter both looked back at her in mock defensiveness. "The both of y'all think y'all are so slick."

"Angel, we don't _think,_ we _know_," Shawn replied, lounging across the apron.

"Stop by our dressing room, let's talk since we've never had the chance," Hunter said, putting a hand across hers that was supporting herself on the mat. She tried not to melt at his touch and put out another hand to steady herself.

"I don't want to sound too rude, but, no, Shawn, I won't go out with you, and, no, Mr. Helmsley, I won't stop by your dressing room. If you don't mind, you are distracting Rob _and_ myself from this match."

"Whatever, chick," Triple H replied, "but you know where we're at if you wanna find us." With that, the two of them sauntered back over to the opposite corner. Within minutes and without incident, the match was over and a victorious RVD and his valet made their way back to Rob's dressing room.

TBC…

**Author's Notes:** A big thanks to those who are reading and especially to those who have reviewed: LeelooJinn, JohnnyDeppFan, Shadow, Sparks, and Latisha C!


	6. Signs of Choice

For disclaimers, warnings, etc., please see chapter one.

_**Chapter VI: Signs of Choice**_

"I found out Lesnar just arrived," Rob said, shutting the door behind him.

"Like we really could expect him not to show for Unforgiven. Yippee!" she sarcastically replied and twirled her finger in the air.

"Tell me about it. I'm still hurting from two weeks ago. I need someone easy for awhile but I guess McMahon thinks otherwise." RVD flexed his arm muscles and plopped down in the nearest chair. "I really want to beat him. I just haven't been able to yet." He dropped his head to ponder the match. Samia could see the hamster frantically running in his mind to keep up with him. "It doesn't matter now because I'm gonna walk out the winner," Rob said with resolve and quickly stood. "Let's get ready."

Samia just nodded. She could tell he had his mind made up tonight that he would win through skill alone. As they had gotten more comfortable with each other, Rob had asked her to help him stretch and this time was no different as they worked harder and longer. He never seemed to have as much peace of mind as he did at that moment.

"Whatever you are doing to tickle me, quit," Rob ordered with a small laugh. She knew he was ready for the match when he relaxed enough to let himself be tickled. She hadn't realized that he had such a sensitive spot on the back of his thigh as she was applying pressure to help stretch his hamstring.

"What? You mean this?" she asked with a teasing grin and intentionally started running her fingernails up and down the back of his leg. Before she knew it, he had her above his head and was using her as a barbell. "Put me down!" she choked between laughs.

He carefully set her down but then jerked back up. "Hear that? Bradshaw just won! We're next! Hurry!"

She glanced down at her watch and realized they had lost track of time. "Oh, sorry!"

"Well, come on," he replied, grabbing her arm and dragging her towards the door.

Even though Rob had disappeared from behind the black curtain, Samia smoothed her hair back into its twist and readjusted her suit before following him out onto the stage. She barely made it out behind him as the smoke cleared from the pyro. At the sight of his game face, she quickly wiped the smile from her face. She glanced around the arena while she shouted RVD's name and pointed at him. On her initial sweep, a sign caught her attention—"Samia! RVD or HBK? No choice-HBK!" She inwardly groaned and began looking for other signs. Another one read "SAM-get you some of Shawn!" _That's really great!_ she sarcastically thought to herself, hoping Rob wouldn't see them.

Samia quickly dropped off the ring apron when she heard Lesnar's music. If Rob thought she needed to be worried about Guerrero, she knew this monster was no comparison. She took Rob's belt as he handed it down through the ropes and set it aside before taking up her position at ringside.

Lesnar had quite a command of the beginning of the match. There was little RVD could do to match the larger man's strength but his agility was what kept bringing the match back over to his side. As to Brock's manager, Samia wasn't at all comfortable with the way Paul Heyman kept staring at her. She couldn't concentrate on the match like she wanted for having to keep an eye on him.

With Lesnar in control of the match again, his manager casually strolled over to RVD's corner. Samia headed around the ring in the opposite direction matching his steps. He seemed to be taunting her by taking a step and waiting to see if she would keep going. He'd take a few quick steps and she would move on just as fast. They circled the ring twice like that before Heyman stopped to remain in his corner when Van Dam took control of the match again.

Rob had gotten in a kick to the chin to stun Lesnar and he was going to the top rope for the Van Terminator. She was quickly on the apron cheering him on. When RVD only got a two count, she dropped back down to find Heyman gone. She began looking for him and turned to see him standing behind her. "Looking for me, Sammy?" he cackled. Samia quickly began back-peddling but her heel caught in a cord and her butt connected with the floor. Heyman pulled her up by her elbow. As she was trying to regain her balance, she slipped her red heel off in hopes of hitting him upside the head with it. He saw her and quickly had her wrist in his other hand. He squeezed hard, crushing her hand until she cried out and dropped the shoe. "I don't think so," Heyman sneered.

"I don't think so either," she bit back and jabbed the back of her other high heel into his toes. He yelped but then quickly spun her around with her arms crossed in front of her chest, pulling tight on her shoulders. She dropped to the ground in pain and he dug his knee in the middle of her back, still pulling on her arms. She tried not to scream out for help because she knew how much this match met to Rob. Heyman forced her head up by grabbing her neck to make her watch RVD lose the match. He still twisted one of her arms up behind her and the other one dropped limply. She tried to move the one but it was like spaghetti. Biting her lip, she tried to endure as much of it as possible without drawing Van Dam's attention.

However, Rob saw the whole incident and decided her being severely injured was not worth this match. He would take out Lesnar later. He dropped the other wrestler with a leg sweep only to see Kevin Nash bounding out of the back. Nash dropped an elbow into Heyman's back causing him to let go of Samia and crush her under his weight. Before the manager could react, Nash was dragging him back up the ramp by his collar. Lesnar paused to decide if he should try to finish RVD or go after Heyman, who was wildly thrashing around while dangling by his collar. The pause was all Van Dam needed to execute the Five-Star Frog Splash off the top rope to put him down for the three count.

Samia dragged herself off the floor, gasping for air from the weight that was finally off of her, and climbed into the ring with RVD's belt. She could barely lift it but it didn't matter because Rob sandwiched it between the two of them in a hug. "I did it!" he shouted at her above the crowd. He took the belt from her hands and quickly headed up to his corner to hold it above his head.

After doing the same in the other three corners, he slung the belt over his shoulder and helped Samia down the metal steps. The fans cheered them all the way up the ramp but he was now more concerned with her. "You okay?" he asked and she only nodded. He pressed his lips together in a thin line, not believing her answer. "I don't believe you," he replied and said nothing until they were on the other side of the black curtain where he stopped her and put both of his hands on Samia's shoulders. "_Are _you okay?"

_Not really,_ she wanted to reply but she nodded again anyway, locks of hair falling around her face from where it was coming loose from the pin. Without warning, he pulled the pin the rest of the way out to let her hair fall down past her shoulders. He ran his fingers through it and then pulled her head up to meet his in a kiss. She snaked her arms around his neck and returned his kiss. He stepped back from her and caressed her cheek, all the while smiling. "Did that make it better?" She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came except a brilliant pink blush. That was a good enough answer for him at the moment and he took her hand to help her down the stairs. At the bottom of the steps, a hand tapping on his shoulder stopped them.

Rob turned around to see himself and Samia kissing in a replay on a monitor. He fumed at the fact that nothing around there was sacred or private and that they wasted no time in airing the clip. Preferring not to let it rain on his parade, he shrugged at her and then tugged a stunned Samia behind him all the way back to the dressing room.

She didn't know what to say so she just didn't. Rob had plenty to say on the other hand. He jabbered non-stop about the match while he showered and dressed. She quietly listened while she massaged her back where Heyman had dug his knee in. She kept trying to stretch her shoulders but it didn't seem to do any good. _If this is what wrestling feels like, there is no way on God's green earth… _she thought as she had trouble picking up a glass of water. She plopped over on the leather couch and buried her head between the throw pillow and the couch cushions.

"Why didn't you yell for help when Heyman had you in that lock?" Rob asked, coming out from the other room brushing his wet hair.

"Hhhhmmmpppffff."

"I'm worried about you," Rob stated as he dropped down beside her on the couch.

She pulled her head out from between the cushions and replied, "I'm fine and to answer your question, I knew how much the match meant to you. With Heyman preoccupied, all you had to worry about was Lesnar. Consider it a favor."

He brushed the hair out of her face. "Take your jacket off and let me see if I can tell anything."

"I'm fine!"

"Just do it," he ordered. From the tone of his voice, she didn't argue and wrestled out the red jacket. He gently rubbed the muscles in her arms and then rubbed her shoulders down, massaging out some of the pain. "Your back is warm," he muttered and then, without asking, he pulled her white blouse up to check. "That's gonna be a pretty bruise." She sucked in her breath as he felt around the area. Rob smoothed her blouse down and said, "You'll be fine. Just really sore for a while with a few bruises."

"That's what I've been tellin' you!" she replied in exasperation as she rolled over, her stomach was nestling against his hip. He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"You really should leave you hair down. You have beautiful red streaks in it. You can't see them if you have it pulled up." There was a moment of silence between them. Tingles began to run throughout her arms and legs as her body anticipated another kiss. Finally, Rob broke the tension and said, "Anyhow…you ready to go?" She tried to hide her disappointment and nodded. He rose and began gathering his things. "I'll bring the car around. Don't worry about it," he offered and disappeared with their bags.

Rob was kind of glad to be out of the room. He talked non-stop about the match because he didn't know what to say about what had happened on the other side of the curtain between the two of them. He should have known better than to kiss her anywhere near a camera and the gorilla position was a prime place for prying eyes. One of the cardinal sins in the business was falling for one's valet even though many did. It made for too many feuds and too much trouble. But it just happened—not that he didn't like it, but he didn't know what to say. _Cool, confident, calm RVD at a loss for words, _he thought, laughing at himself, _that's a first. _

He truly _was _at a loss for words. He had never believed for once that he would become attracted to the woman that he had "hired" eight weeks ago. She was out of his league as far as he was concerned. She was too sophisticated, too classy for a down-to-earth guy. To him, she was far too intelligent. She would have quickly been labeled a nerd in the high school he attended. With the exception of the past two years, she had spent her entire life in school. For that reason, he considered the woman he had met that week to be too naïve, having a lack of experience in the real world. It was probably what made her so edgy and stressed.

That was why it came as such a surprise to him that he was falling for her. Samia had gotten under his skin and he couldn't explain it. Something had clicked the morning she had given him the body massage and then asked her out on an unofficial date to the baseball game to test the waters. It was as if it was all business, like she was accompanying him to the game as she did to the ring. From day one, she had gone above and beyond what he had asked of her. She was at his beck and call. That's not to mention that she had stood up to Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash. He had seen more "experienced" women crumble at the sight of them. But, from what he had gathered, that's the way she was with everything she did. Now he wondered if that blush meant something else.

Since the "date," all these thoughts had been running through his head and he just wanted to kiss her. If he gave in to that urge, he just knew that he would find out what she thought and he could put this to rest. Now that he had kissed her, those thoughts were even worse. Either she thought the same about him or she didn't and he couldn't determine which. It would be wrong to expect anything out of her and it would be just as wrong to treat her any different if she didn't return his feelings. He would try to wait until she brought it up and then see what would happen.

Back in the dressing room, Samia tried to push the kiss from her mind. She didn't know if it was adrenaline that made the embrace so electrifying or something completely different but she didn't think she would ever turn something like that down. With a sigh, the blonde gathered herself together, tucked in her shirt, and pulled her jacket on. Stepping outside the door, she came face to face with Kevin Nash, or more like face to chest.

"Did Heyman hurt you?" he asked, blocking her way around him.

Out of gratitude, she wouldn't run this time. "No, I'm just gonna be sore and bruised…Thank you."

"You're welcome," Nash replied with a nod and started to walk away.

"Why?" she asked, reaching out to put a hand on his arm to stop him. He shrugged his shoulders in reply. "I know that the nWo has some sort of problem with Rob, but you did us _both_ a favor. Why?"

"I guess because we like you," he answered, shrugging his shoulders again.

"Just me?" she asked, looking up at him in the eyes, and he nodded. There was a moment of silence.

"You know, with us, somebody would always be able to make sure scum didn't get their hands on you. There's enough of us where nobody could get to you," Kevin stated.

She didn't consider the offer for one second and returned to her cool professionalism. "That's a comfortin' thought, Mr. Nash, but it seems Rob could use me a little more than y'all can. He's my boss and my loyalty lies with him, even through the pain of idiots like Heyman. Thank you for the offer and thank you for helpin' us _both_ out tonight." Samia turned to go before he could say anything else.

Rob met her at the parking lot door. "I was getting worried about you."

"Sorry, I just needed a minute," she replied but then quietly climbed into the car beside him. They silently left the arena to return to the hotel, both lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

The next Monday, Samia was grateful to have to return to the car to retrieve the cell phone she had left in it. She and Rob were barely speaking after last night's kiss and neither knew what to say to the other. His chatter after the match had permanently died down after she thought they were going to kiss again on the couch. It might have been better had he still aimlessly babbled. So, she kept to herself in hopes of not offending him more. She felt she had done something wrong when he had little to say to her. Little did she know she was about to withdraw into herself more that evening. 

Reentering the building, she was still praying that she wouldn't get hurt tonight, since Heyman was enough to last her a life time. She just wanted to live to see another Monday. However, the sight before her after turning the corner before Rob's dressing room garnered another addition to the prayer. She had wanted to make it through another Monday but did not need to see this!

"Hell, no, you are not wearing that to the ring!" Nash shouted back into the nWo dressing room.

Samia heard Shawn's reply. "Why not? I like it." Then he appeared. Her knees went wobbly and she had to prop herself up against a wall while her mind was screaming at her to run away.

"I don't care," Nash replied. "Have _some_ class."

Shawn then caught sight of Samia. "What do you think, Angel? I think electric blue may be my color." She didn't respond as he twirled around to show off. "What? You don't like the banana hammock?" And that was exactly all he had on. Every muscle that could be visible was and there was no hint of a tan line. She didn't even bother to breathe as he flaunted his sculpted body in front of her.

"Go, now," Nash ordered him back into the room. "I don't care what you and Hunter did in D-X. _That—"_ Nash pointed at the scrap of cloth, "—is _not_ gonna happen while I'm here."

"Oh, alright," Shawn replied, defeated. He smiled at her sheepishly and shrugged before going back in.

"I'm going on," Nash shouted back, "Get your ass in gear, get something on, and catch up."

Samia didn't wait around and wandered on down the hall, wide-eyed. _Somebody tell me again why I refuse to have anything to do with them, _she thought as she shook herself out of the daze and entered the dressing room.

"Thanks for going back out to get the phone for me," Rob said, taking it from her.

"No, thank you."

"Excuse me?" Rob asked, looking at her puzzled.

She couldn't believe she had just said that. "Nothin'…" she muttered and then added, "the nWo's out there now and then we're next."

"Yeah, I guess it _is_ close to time. Thanks, chica."

Back in the nWo's dressing room, Nash and Michaels were having a laugh at Samia's expense. Their plan had gone perfectly.

TBC…


	7. Birthday Suprises

_**Chapter VII: Birthday Surprises**_

Silence, to say the least, characterized the next week of their road travel. Samia and Rob still continued to hang out with friends on a nightly basis but there was this tension now. She wanted to know if he cared in the least or if she should stop pining away for something that wasn't there. She was afraid the situation would only get worse if she broached the subject, but the tension was already almost suffocating. Rob was feeling the same and, when she said nothing by the end of the week, he began making plans for the coming Monday.

RAW was getting less and less boring, or, really, more and more animated. She never knew what could or would happen every Monday evening, especially if Shawn Michaels was parading around in his underwear again. At least at the house shows, the nWo stayed their distance and rarely caused trouble. The most they ever did to her was say "hello" and ask how things were going.

RVD stopped one of the staff in the parking lot before entering the building. "Did they come?" he asked and the man, seeming to know exactly what he was taking about, nodded. "Thanks, dude."

"What was that all about?" Samia queried.

"Nothing really," he dismissed.

"Okay," she replied, still curious. However, she didn't want to push it. He was his own man and not everything he did was any of her business. The two of them arrived at his dressing room door, courtesy of a hospitality representative. The woman gave Rob a knowing smile where Samia couldn't see.

"Wait," he said to the blonde and went in first, closing the door behind him. After a moment, he came back out. "Um, I don't like this room. We need to find somewhere else to go."

"What's so wrong with it? Let me see," Samia replied, not usually this stubborn. He was hiding something and she knew it had something to do with her and probably the nWo. She ducked under his arm and was in the room before he could stop her.

"Um, happy birthday, Samia," he quietly said from behind her.

She circled the room and exclaimed, "All this for _me_?" There were five vases of a dozen white roses a piece, accented with black, sparkling baby's breath, at various points within the room. On the coffee table in front of the sofa was a half dozen carnival roses. Beside the beautiful mauve and white roses was a wrapped package.

"Well, um, no, not exactly," he muttered.

"Really? They all have my name on them," she replied with a smirk as she began to collect each of the cards from the matching vases. The five cards had "Happy Birthday" written on them but signed with different names—Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Big Show, and X-Pac. This was insane. She couldn't believe they would do such a thing. Even though she reveled in someone, or someone_s_, who knew her birthday and bought her roses, she had a small, sick feeling in the bottom of her stomach from how low they were stooping to get to her and Rob.

"Well, that only leaves one vase," she said, setting aside the other cards with a sly smile. These had to be from him and she couldn't wait to open the card and the package. Rob stood in one corner and just watched. He had been completely taken aback when he walked into the room. It hadn't taken anything at all to know from whom the extra vases were. The damn nWo had ruined his plans.

Samia pulled the card from the carnival roses. Handwritten on the mauve card was, "Samia, thanks for ALL you do for me. Have a wonderful birthday! Rob." She replaced the card and smiled at him but he halfheartedly returned it. She picked up the package and tore into the butterfly wrapping paper. Inside the box she found a gorgeous black necklace that sparkled like the baby's breath in the roses. Several strands of dainty beads and onyx stones were woven in an intricate design. A silver ring with the same jewels set in the band was nestled in with necklace.

Rob finally spoke. "I have to take credit for that. I picked it out by myself. Well, sort of, Lita helped." He came to sit beside her on the couch. "Sorry about the rest of the flowers. I didn't expect them to be here, well, I didn't expect them at all…I, well, um…happy birthday, Samia."

"Rob, the flowers, the necklace…they're beautiful. Thank you so much," she gushed, hugging him. When she pulled away, she asked, "Help me put the necklace on. I'm not good with the short ones." Rob carefully laid the necklace against her bare neck and fixed the clasp. The ring fit perfectly on her right index finger.

"Looks good on you," he said, running a fingertip across the black stones. There was a moment of silence between them, the tension beginning to mount again. He then stole a quick kiss from her. She took a chance and leaned back in for another kiss. Neither drew back immediately but drank longer from each other's lips than their first one behind the curtain. No one could have known how much longer it would have lasted if there hadn't been a knock at the door.

Rob inwardly groaned as she pulled away. "I'll get it," she said and rose to answer the door. On the other side was one of the WWE staff. "Adrienne, what can I do for you?" she asked as nicely as possible since the woman had just interrupted their moment. Adrienne Bradley was about the same height and same build as Samia but with naturally light blonde hair. Even though Samia's hair was a bit shorter and a bit darker, they had often been mistaken for each other from behind. Adrienne was basically a go-fer for anyone who needed "going for."

"Miss Carlsen, I have a message for you from Shawn Michaels," she answered.

"And that would be…" Samia asked, trying to hide her agitation.

"He wants you to come to his dressing room for a just a minute," Adrienne replied, a hand on her hip to wait for Samia's answer.

"Please, tell him I said 'no.'" The other blonde nodded and left.

"What was that about, chica?" Rob asked, rising from the couch and meeting her halfway across the room.

"Nothing, just some stuff about the upcomin' schedule and some expense reports I need to take care of," she explained and then rolled her eyes and lolled out her tongue. "You know, that kind of crap. I'm gonna take all these out to the car…except for yours. I want to look at them all night."

"Alright, I need to check in since you didn't get a chance to do that," he said, picking up her hand and rolling the ring. She couldn't help but giggle and he leaned in for a kiss before leaving.

She picked up a vase, since they were too big to carry more than one at a time, and headed out the door. On her second return trip, she saw Adrienne coming down the hall in her direction. She glared at no one in particular, rolled her eyes, and turned to go in the opposite direction but the other woman had already seen her.

"Look, if I don't tell you, I don't get paid," Adrienne stated, a little bitingly.

"Sorry," Samia replied. "What is it this time?"

"Shawn only asks for a few minutes."

She almost said 'yes' because she was so curious to know what he wanted. "No, I'm sorry. I hope he's not such an asshole as to not pay you because I say 'no.'"

"I'd just lie and tell him you said 'yes,'" Adrienne replied and Samia wasn't sure if she should take that as a stab or a joke.

"Well…" she began but the other blonde was already on her way. She wanted to send Shawn a message through Adrienne but she was out of sight. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the birthday roses but she didn't have a good feeling about these guys…except for that feeling of lust when looking at Nash, Hunter, or Shawn. She mentally chided herself about thinking of other guys while locking lips with Rob.

When Samia returned to their room, RVD was still gone. She just assumed he was down in the weight room, prepping for the match. In his absence, she fiddled with the vase of carnival roses and smiled at Rob's thought of getting them for her. She was brought out of her thoughts by a knock at the door. _Grand Central Station, how may I help you? _she sarcastically thought and rose from the couch.

The blonde answered the door to once again find Adrienne but this time with the Big Show standing behind her. Samia shook her head and sighed, "What does he want?"

"To see you," Adrienne replied, hands on her hips.

"What for?"

"I don't know," she answered with a hint of exasperation. "Nash wants to know if you would at least come for him."

Samia wondered why it would make difference which one was doing the requesting. "Show, _what _is it?" The hulking man just shook his head. She didn't know if he didn't know or wouldn't tell.

"Adrienne, I'm not comin'. Tell him and all the others how much I appreciate the flowers but…"

The Big Show stopped her in mid-sentence. "I will tell you this much. Shawn said if you wouldn't come this time, that I was to do this." The wrestler stepped into the room and threw Samia like a sack of potatoes over his shoulder. Her first instinct was to scream, kick her legs, and flail her arms but she knew better than to fight it. She was no match for him and no one would probably bother going up against him to rescue her. Adrienne waved at her as she bounced along over Show's back, wondering where Rob was when she actually needed him.

After almost banging her head on the door while opening it, Show ungraciously dropped her in the middle of the nWo's den. Michaels smugly stood from where he sat on a burgundy leather couch. "Angel, why don't you want to come see us? Especially after all the flowers?"

"Look," she turned to each of them in turn, "it's not that I don't appreciate the gorgeous roses. I was gonna tell you 'thank you' on my time instead of bein' _forced_ to come here." She was getting a little nervous standing in the middle of these five _huge_ men.

"Those are some strong words, chick," Nash spoke.

"We gotta go," Show interjected, probably to get out the situation since he and X-Pac were completely oblivious to, or doing an excellent job of, ignoring what was going on. "We've got a match," he explained and the duo headed out the door.

Hunter followed them. "I'm gonna go protect them," he said, nodding and pointing after them. She figured he was going to get away from tension that now filled the room as she was left with Shawn and Kevin.

"Come on, girl," Kevin said after the door closed behind Triple H. "Tell us, what does RVD got that we don't?"

"That's not fair," she coolly stated.

"Being fair is over-rated," Kevin responded with a tinge of arrogance.

"I tend to like things a little on the fair side. Do any of you know what that is?" she asked, her voice beginning to rise in anger at the situation they were putting her in.

"Oooohh, that hurt, Angel," Shawn replied, faking a pain in his side.

"Don't blame me, blame reality, blame yourself."

"Why don't you like us?" Kevin asked, settling on the arm of the couch. "First time we met, you said we were your favorite."

"I never said I didn't like y'all and y'all are still my favorite _wrestlers_. Being 'pursued,'" she made the quote marks with her fingers, "by the nWo is any woman's dream. But that's only because she's not lookin' beyond your sex appeal and strength." Shawn blew across his knuckles and shined them on his shirt. She made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat and then continued, "They don't see the trail of destruction you leave behind. Here is real life." She pointed down at the floor and then at the door. "At home on the couch is fantasy. That's the hardest thing that I've had to learn in the few months that I've been here."

Nash squinted at her and then asked as if he didn't understand, "Now, tell me again what the problem is."

"Geez, guys, you just don't get it," she said and threw her arms up in the air before crossing them over her chest again. "If I have your permission, I'm leavin' now."

"Wait," Shawn called, coming across the room towards her. "Happy birthday, Angel." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into one of those kisses only Jackie Collins writes about. She would have melted into a puddle on the floor if he didn't have her in an embrace. Time stood still for what felt like an eternity but Nash's booming laughter brought her back into reality. She tried to push away from Shawn and he released her from his kiss. "Let me change your mind about leaving," he seductively suggested.

"Um, I have to, um, I really, um…" she stuttered, backing up towards the door.

"Have to go," Nash finished for her. Her cheeks turned a deep crimson. Shawn kept one arm around her while opening the door and then let her go on the threshold. She stumbled over herself trying to leave. Her legs were nothing but jelly. Once outside, she leaned up against the wall to try and gain her composure. Finally, she sunk to the floor and leaned her head against the wall, wiping her lips and then fanning her face with her hands to try to cool off before returning to Rob's room.

"Samia?" Her heart stopped and her legs went completely numb. She slowly opened her eyes to see Rob standing over her. "What're you doing here?"

"I was abducted by aliens."

"Excuse me?"

"Help me up and I'll explain everythin'," she said, holding up her hands for him to take. Back in their room, she laid it all out on the table, with the exception of Shawn's kiss. "You trust me, don't you?" He nodded at her and she sighed. "Can we get out of here when your match is over?"

"Sure, let me take you out for a birthday dinner," he suggested.

"You've already done enough for my birthday," she said, waving him off.

"You deserve it after all the hell the nWo has put you through," he replied and then leaned in to steal a quick kiss before they both headed out to the ring.

After Shawn's kiss, she felt dirty from such a sweet kiss from Rob. Her desire was drawn to Shawn, but her heart was drawn to Rob. She just couldn't figure out why they were doing this to her. She was no beauty, no one special, so why? If they were after Rob, why were they targeting her? Why not go straight for the goal? It was all too baffling to figure out.

And it didn't help when a knock sounded on Samia's door shortly after they returned from their meal. "Just a moment," she called, wrapping a robe around her before looking through the peephole. "Oh, crap," she murmured to herself when she saw Shawn Michaels on the other side. She couldn't very well not answer the door since he had already heard her. Shaking off the tingles from the memory of his kiss, she pulled the door open just enough for him to see her face. "Yes?"

"You forgot something at the arena last week," he answered and held out the metallic pin that had been holding her hair up last week before Rob had pulled it out. She opened the door far enough to get her arm through to take the pin. Shawn casually leaned in towards the door, opening it farther. "Yeah, it seems RVD dropped it 'round about the time he did this," HBK said and cupped her cheek, his fingers running into her hair. He began to lean in and she immediately backed up, this time finding her resolve.

"Don't."

"You liked it enough earlier today."

Samia wanted this to end and, while she didn't know what words to say, she was going to say something. She glanced out into the hallway to make sure no one was looking and then gestured for Shawn to come in. Immediately, she headed straight for the adjoining door and locked her side. "Shawn," she sighed, pressing the back of her hand to her head in an effort to quell the headache that was slowly coming on, "I am not interested in you."

"But I'm interested in you," he replied and slipped a finger instead the neck of the robe, running it halfway down to the belt.

She quickly pushed his hand away. "Will you please leave us alone? Just tell me what you want with Rob or with me or with the both of us. I'll see what I can do if you'll just leave us alone."

"What if that's not an option?"

"If you'll just tell me what it is you want, it might be," she answered, exasperation starting to grow in her voice as she caught him in advance this time and slapped his hand away.

"Just your heart."

"That belongs to someone else. It seems we are at an impasse. If that's so, please leave."

"I could change your mind," he said and took a step towards her. She immediately backpedaled and slipped around him.

"No," she replied, pulling the door open and taking a quick peek outside. Luckily no one was there that she recognized and she gestured towards the hall. "Please go."

"Alright, Angel," he whispered. "I'll do it this time but I can't make any other promises."

Samia squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose. When she dropped her hand, Shawn stole a quick kiss. He was gone before she could protest.

Throughout her dinner with Rob, she had been able to still feel the heat of Shawn's lips on hers. Now, as she climbed between the cool sheets, the second kiss was still vivid. If indeed her relationship with Rob went somewhere, she didn't know if she could truly be herself with him still feeling the guilt of Shawn's kisses and thoroughly enjoying it. She hoped it would go away with time.

And it did, sort of. The guilt was slowly fading each day to just a nag in the back of her mind. Rob was nothing but a perfect gentleman. The two seemed to be out alone doing what they always did with friends but now all in a new light, the light of a blossoming romance. It would have all been perfect if she didn't relive Shawn's initial kiss every time she saw him. She wondered how she could be so happy with Rob but be plagued with these images and feelings that wouldn't go away every time she was in Shawn's presence. Despite the little nagging thought, Samia did her best not to let it come between them. They chose not to in any way remotely hide their new relationship, hardly leaving each other's side. By the end of next Monday, everyone knew they were a hot item.

TBC…


	8. Where My Loyalty Lies

_**Chapter VIII: Where My Loyalty Lies**_

The following Monday as she and Rob left for the arena, Samia prayed that Shawn wouldn't be there or at least she wouldn't have to see him if he was. However, she would rather have seen HBK than have to deal with what was coming. The couple was met by Terri with a microphone as they entered the building from the covered parking lot. The over-tanned woman stopped them and began a barrage of questions.

"RVD! RVD! A few moments of your time!" she begged, running beside him as they attempted to ignore her. However, as the gentleman he was, he at least stopped to tell her nicely to leave them alone but the dyed blonde launched into her interview. "Congratulations on your win against Brock Lesnar two weeks ago at Unforgiven."

"Thanks," he replied and attempted to go, hoping she would give up.

"So, tell me," she began, hurrying around him to stand in front of the couple to prevent them from leaving, "how do you feel about a woman having to protect you from Eddie Guerrero and X-Pac?"

"Look, we all need someone to watch our backs. What's wrong with a little bit of help?" Rob answered, putting his arm around Samia and drawing her close.

"From someone you're romantically involved with?" Terri stuck the microphone back in his face. He only shrugged. "From someone that is rumored to have ties with the nWo?"

Samia was inflamed by her question. "Rumors are just that, Terri," she angrily interrupted, pulling herself from RVD's embrace and stepping between him and the interviewer. "My loyalty lies with Rob Van Dam, _not_ the nWo. Don't question him about that. Tell that to your rumor sources."

"So, the rumor that RVD found you in the nWo dressing room in the arms of Shawn Michaels isn't true?" The valet's stomach turned a flip. Someone had leaked something, and, while it wasn't entirely the truth, it was enough to hit home. She took a step forward and glared down at Terri.

"Samia, it's not worth it," Rob began and put a hand on her back. She just held her own up to stop him.

"Well, Sammy, what about Kevin Nash coming out to save your hide? That's not rumor."

"First off, it's _Sa-mia_, second, that's Nash's business, not mine nor yours. I suggest you move on and leave us alone," she slowly and carefully bit out.

"Who are you to tell me what to do? You're a valet, a no one. You should be grateful that someone has taken such an interest in something as plain as you are."

"Terri," she stated calmly. "I find beauty naturally. I don't have to have it 'done' like you do. I don't see a significant other runnin' around with you."

"You listen to me, girl. You are just jealous," Terri angrily replied, poking her manicured nail in the other woman's face. Samia couldn't believe she had punched Terri in the face until she saw the interviewer trying to regain her balance and then crash into a stack of chairs. "You will pay," she shouted as she tugged down at her short skirt that had found itself some other place than it should have been during the unfortunate mishap.

"_You_ are not worth it," Samia spit out and began to stalk off.

"You just wait there, missy," Terri screamed, having finally caught up with her and RVD. Rob was trying not to laugh at all this. Beyond the ring, his girlfriend was probably one of the most mild-mannered women and now this temper was being unleashed. He had given up on stopping her when she first confronted Terri in the interview but they were both asking for it and he knew better than to get in the middle of a catfight. It had just started to get entertaining when Samia punched the older woman but he wasn't going to encourage her to fight. He was afraid that she might actually get hurt, great right hook or not. So, when Terri caught up with them, he hovered in the doorway of the dressing room, willing to watch them verbally spar, or maybe take a few swings, before he stopped them.

Samia still held the doorknob when she whipped around to find the shorter woman attempting to be taller than she was. "Who are _you _to tell me what to do?" The valet threw Terri's words back at her and then stepped into RVD's dressing room, almost running him over, to slam the door in the interviewer's face.

"You go, girl," Rob exclaimed, holding up his hand to give her a high-five but she didn't notice. "What brought that on?" he asked, a bit more quiet.

"I guess…she made me mad."

"Remind me not to ever make you mad."

"It wasn't like that," she replied, finally looking at him. "I can't believe I did it. It just happened. I've never hit a soul in my life." She quickly sat down on the couch on to regain her composure.

He wasn't surprised at her revelation. She would have to get use to it if she wanted to survive around there. "Don't let it bother you. I do it all the time and…" he said with a laugh, trying to ease her, but a knock at the door interrupted his comment.

Van Dam motioned for her to stay there and answered the door for her. "Is Miss Carlsen here?" Samia almost jumped out of her skin when she recognized Vince McMahon's sarcastic drawl. She quickly headed for the door.

"Yes?" she asked, hoping for the best but knowing better.

"Good evening, ma'am," he began, straightening his pinstripe suit. She nodded in response. "Which may only get better. You have a match with Terri tonight."

"Excuse me?" she asked in disbelief, her jaw hitting the floor. "I'm just a valet, not a wrestler."

"Oh, I am very aware of that," McMahon commented with a chuckle. "That's what will make this so interesting." His chortle broadened into loud laughter and he started to back away. Then he stopped to point a finger at RVD. "_You_ are barred from ringside. Terri and Samia alone. You got me?" RVD's response was to slam the door in his face.

"What are we gonna do?" Samia hysterically asked as she started pacing the room. "Just because I watch y'all doesn't mean I know what I'm doin'. Besides, I can't go out there in this suit."

"We'll get you something," Rob offered and started digging through his bags. "Here, here's a pair of spandex shorts. Wait, throw these gym shorts over them." He tossed them at her. "Hold on. Did you wash those?" She gave him a 'what do you think' look. "I'm glad you threw in those extra pair of socks." He paused for a moment, then pulled his shirt off. A big "Whatever" on her chest was not the look she was going for but she caught the shirt in the air. "Don't stand there looking at me like I'm crazy. Get changed. We've got to get down to business. I'll be back soon."

She couldn't believe this was happening to her as she slipped out of her dress and into the oversized clothes. The spandex was the closest thing to fitting. His shirt smelled amazingly like him, which was the only part of the fiasco she could handle. RVD returned shortly holding a pair of tennis shoes. "How did you pull that off?"

"I found a willing person," he said with a shrug when he had actually sweet talked Adrienne Bradley into giving them to him. He expected to have to bribe her but she breathlessly responded with a 'yes' before Rob finished the question. "Let's get started."

"Started?" Samia asked, wringing her hands.

"How do you think you're gonna make it out there?" When she shrugged her shoulders, Rob responded, "Okay then. Punch me."

"Punch you?"

"Yeah. Come on. Your first lesson."

"I can't believe I'm doing' this." She stood and aimed for his chin and then found herself on the floor.

"Now, let me show you how to do that to Terri and keep her from doing that to you."

"Oh my god," she groaned from the floor. With the little time that they had, RVD gave her a crash course in Wrestling 101. It would have helped if she could concentrate on something other than Rob's bare chest rolling all over her. Although, she could have just kept on doing that all night.

"It's time, chica! Let's go!" Rob announced, pulling her up from the floor where she last landed.

"I don't wanna," Samia whined.

"Doesn't matter," he muttered, realizing he was about to leave bare-chested.

"I can't do this."

"Yes, you can," he assured her, finding the tanktop he had thrown in the bag. It wasn't like she could have worn that, so he slipped it on over his head.

"No, I can't," she complained, shaking her head.

"Samia, I'll be right by your side. McMahon can't stop me. Don't worry." He cupped her cheek with his hand and stole a quick kiss.

"Alright," she sighed, "let's go before I back out." Rob opened the door for her to find one of WWE's security standing there. Samia stepped through but the larger man blocked RVD's way. He moved one way and the guard countered it. Rob tried the other way but it didn't work either. For someone so large, the man was quick and Rob knew he was going to have to plan this carefully.

"Samia, just go," he finally said. "You'll be fine. If something happens, I'll be there."

"But—" she began, almost freaking out over him not going with her. When he reached for her hand and squeezed it, she was able to go with the thought in mind that he said he would be there if something happened. She heard Terri's music as she headed to the ring but the blood was rushing through her ears so loudly that she barely heard RVD's music signaling her entrance.

* * *

"J. R., this is gonna be so much fun. Samia's gonna get it! That stuck-up, stupid woman is gonna get it!" Lawler cackled. 

"Just shut the _hell_ up!" Ross angrily replied. He was getting so sick of Jerry's objectification of women. "Let's go back earlier tonight and see what prompted this match between RVD's valet and Terri." The two announcers watched the footage of the interview, Terri's demand for the match, and Samia's reaction to McMahon's declaration. "King, she's nothing but a sweet girl who lost her temper for one moment. She didn't even want the match."

"Well, she's got the match now. She better hope RVD's shown her a thing or two besides his bed."

"Shut up!" J. R. punched Lawler in the arm, something he had been waiting to do for so loooong. McMahon would probably chastise him for it but it would be worth it.

"What was that for?" the other announcer pouted, rubbing the slightly bruised spot.

"Just watch the match," Ross ordered and Lawler fell silent except to respond to J. R.'s comments.

In the ring, Samia and Terri circled each other. Terri charged her but Samia ducked. The interviewer bounced back off the rope for a clothesline and Samia dropped her with a leg sweep. It happened so fast that valet-turned-wrestler found herself searching her mind for what to do next. She dropped down for what she knew to be a premature pin but it bought her more time to think. Terri kicked out and Samia pulled her up by her hair to land an uppercut and then a chest slap. Terri stumbled towards her corner and Samia took off for a spear. As the bleached blonde connected with the turnbuckle, Samia hoped to pull her out for a side suplex. She pulled Terri away from the ropes so that Terri couldn't use them against her.

Samia was about to set her up for the suplex when the shorter woman landed a punch to her cheek. Samia was flat on her back. She could feel the warm blood trickling down her face. Terri had pulled out a set of brass knuckles that were hidden in the turnbuckle padding. Samia couldn't clear her head from the pain to rise up. Terri straddled her and then screamed at her, "Let's see how naturally beautiful you look after this." Terri threw another punch that slashed at her forehead. Samia couldn't see for the blood now running into her eye. She heard Charles Robinson call for the bell and was thankful that it was now over, or at least she thought it was over. Terri didn't stop at the sound of the bell. With the brass knucks, Samia couldn't tell one punch from another. She blindly swung at the attacking woman but her blows weren't enough to stop her.

When Terri stopped, Samia didn't know it was because Shawn Michaels had bodily picked Terri up and thrown her across the ring; she just knew it was over and was very grateful. Shawn pulled Samia out of the ring and cradled her against his chest as he carried her up the ramp. She only knew a warm body held her and just assumed it was Rob Van Dam.

However, RVD was flying down the hall towards them, yelling, "Put her down now, Shawn. _Now_!" Kevin Nash had met Michaels at the entrance and now pushed Rob out of the way as Shawn rushed past. Samia faintly heard RVD but slipped into oblivion as Nash slammed the nWo dressing room door closed behind them.

The blackness was replaced by a hazy pain and a bright light. Samia slowly woke to find Shawn leaning over her with a warm, wet terrycloth sponging away blood. "Welcome back, Angel," he grinned

"What happened?" she asked and quickly sat up but groaned and slipped back down onto the couch.

"I was your knight in shinin' armor. I rescued you," he proudly proclaimed.

"I didn't need it," she murmured, looking around and trying to figure out how she had gotten here with Shawn Michaels when she thought Rob had saved her.

"Oh, you didn't, did you? I see one, two, three, four reasons why you needed me," he responded, counting the cuts on her cheek, forehead, and lip. "Don't move. I'm goin' to put bandages on them. It's gonna hurt when I put alcohol on them but hold still." She nodded because she hadn't the willpower to do otherwise.

"All we've got is this gauze and tape," Kevin added, holding up the items.

"No band-aids?" Shawn asked, turning to face Nash.

"Didn't I just say 'all we've got…'" he replied, obviously annoyed with the question.

"They'll have to make do, I guess."

"I'll just go see the trainers," Samia interjected, trying to rise from the couch.

"I kinda got you in this situation and I'll take care of you," Shawn adamantly replied, pushing her back down.

Samia gritted her teeth from the sting of antiseptic and then decided to satisfy her curiosity, not only to take her mind off the sting but to stop the burning questions in her mind. "Why?"

"Why what?" Shawn asked, drawing back a moment to look in her eyes.

"Why did you come out?" she replied but Michaels and Nash just stared at her. "You didn't trust Rob to take care of me? He promised he would come for me."

"Oh, he did?" Nash responded with his classic look of surprise. "Well, we just beat him there."

"Why can't you leave well enough alone?" she angrily asked, propping up on her elbows. "I'm happy with Rob. I enjoy workin' for him and just bein' with him. Don't you understand?"

"Don't _you_ understand?" Shawn countered. "You can't tell me you don't want to be with us. I felt it in your body when I kissed you. I can see it in your eyes every time you look at us." At that comment, she rolled her green eyes and looked away but he put a hand on her shoulder and she turned back. "I'm not stupid, Samia. I know what you want and how you work. You walk around in your power suits like you own the place."

She made a disgusted sound in her throat. "I do n—"

"And you deserve to do so," Shawn interrupted. "You didn't study to be a lawyer to be walked on. You didn't quit your job to be in somebody's shadow. You have a drive and a lot of passion to go with it. I've seen you out there at the ring. You aren't by RVD's side, you're just in his shadow. Look at what he got you into?" To emphasize his point, he ripped off a piece of medical tape with his teeth and reached for another piece of gauze.

"Speakin' of that," Samia responded, "how would Terri know that I was in the nWo's dressin' room and supposedly, uh, in your arms?"

"It's true, isn't it?"

"But there's only two people who know that," she angrily replied, looking back and forth between them.

"I didn't say anything," Nash blurted out, shutting the medical kit and getting up from his chair to put the kit away.

"Terri said that RVD _found _you in my arms. How do you know she wasn't making the rest of it up?"

Kevin's answer was too quick, too abrupt, but Shawn's made absolute sense. If part of Terri's story was fabricated, then other part could be as well. Courtroom observation told her she couldn't argue this one. "So, what's this spiel all about?" she huffed and lay back down on the couch when Shawn attempted to put the second bandage in place.

"You may think you're happy but you'll never be. With us," Shawn spread his hands out like he was offering her the world, "you can have all the desires of you heart."

"I'm sorry. I'm not leavin' him. When you're done, I want to go back to Rob," she replied, sullenly crossing her arms on her chest.

As if on cue, someone began banging on the door. "Michaels, let me in now. I have security with me and they're willing to bust the door down. Don't put Samia in the middle of this. I want her back and I want her back _now_!" Rob Van Dam shouted from the other side.

Nash walked over to the door and called back, "Don't get your panties in a wad. Give us a minute."

When Shawn had finished with the last bandage, Samia started to sit up again. "Don't try. You can go back but go back with some help." Michaels slid his arms under her and lifted her to carry her to the door.

"Put me down. I can walk."

"Just let me do this," he replied.

Knowing she couldn't physically compete with him, Samia muttered, "Fine."

Shawn nodded at Nash and the taller man opened the door. "Van Dam, you take care of her, you hear me? Here, carry her back," Michaels said, carefully handing her over.

RVD pulled her to him and only glared at Michaels and Nash before turning to go. Back in his dressing room, Van Dam carefully laid her down on the couch in his room. "Let me see," Rob said, gently turning her head towards him.

"They're fine," Samia snapped, "No one could have done any better." She surprised herself at how quickly she had become so defensive over such a trivial matter as a bandage.

"Did they do anything to you?"

"No," she answered, turning to face the back of the couch. "Have you had your match yet?" The woman had lost all sense of timing because of the black-out.

"No, and I'm not going to. I'm taking you back to the hotel now," he stated and rose from the couch to begin gathering their things.

"I'll be fine. Want your shorts back?" she asked, the question muffled into the sofa cushions.

"I'm not leaving you here like this in this building with _them_."

"Fine! Just help me to the car. Do you think I can get _that_ kind of help?" She couldn't believe she had said that until it came out of her mouth.

"Are you insinuating that I didn't try to come out and help you?" Rob snapped before she could consider apologizing.

"Well, I didn't see you there!" she bit back, still burrowed in the couch cushions, unwilling to look at him for embarrassment and anger.

"Kind of hard to see when you're all cozied up to the nWo!"

Samia jerked back over to face him. "Don't you dare! You think I stood in that ring and said 'Hhmm, who do I want to come out and 'save' me?' I didn't even want to be there in the first place. And you promised—Let's just go…now," she angrily sighed and pushed herself up from the couch. She wobbled and Rob quickly reached out to grab her by the elbow, steadying her as she sank back down.

RVD didn't say a word as he helped her out of the building and into the hotel. He disappeared into his room and she into hers, their adjoining doors quickly closing. Samia made the best attempt she could at showering and finding small band-aids so that she didn't look like a walking mummy. When she was through, at least she didn't look like she had been through a car-wreck. _Bless Shawn's heart, _she thought,_ he did the best he could with the best he had._

Samia settled down on the bed and thought through all that had transpired that evening. Her headache was beginning to settle but the tenderness all over her face was getting worse—not to mention the pain in her heart. She knew she shouldn't have spoken to Rob like that. Shawn's words echoed in her head—_With us, you can have all the desires of you heart._ As far as the nWo was concerned, she wasn't sure what her desires were but she knew now that her immediate desire was to apologize to Rob.

Samia picked up Rob's shirt and deeply inhaled its scent. She didn't want to give it back but she quietly rapped on his adjoining door anyway. "What?" The tone of the word hurt.

"Can I come in?" she quietly asked, barely loud enough for Rob to hear her. She chewed her lip in anticipation but yelped when her teeth caught the split in her bottom lip.

"Yeah, whatever, it's unlocked," the answer stoically came. She pushed the door open to see him lying across the bed in nothing but his boxers and his necklace with the silver dragon pendant. He probably couldn't have looked any sexier.

"Anythin' good on?"

"No," he replied, turning the television off and tossing aside the remote control that had dangled in his hand. "What is it?"

"I thought you might want your shirt back," she quietly offered, timidly holding it out towards him.

"Just throw it in that pile over there," he replied and indicated the corner with other clothing in it.

She did so and then pulled up a chair from the hotel table since he wasn't being as cooperative as she wanted. "I'm sorry for the way I yelled at you earlier. That was entirely wrong of me. Whether or not it was Shawn, Benoit, or McMahon himself that came into that ring after Terri, _you_ were the one with over half of security there to bust down the nWo's door to get me. I'm sorry I treated you the way I did." There, it was out, she had had her say and he could take it or leave it. She stood to leave but Rob grabbed her by the arm and pulled her down beside him.

"I came. I just had a three hundred-pound McMahon lackey blocking my door. I was seconds behind Shawn. When I got there, Nash shoved me aside and they had the door bolted before I could be in behind them. I didn't know what else to do. I'm sorry all this had to happen," he explained, his eyes locked with hers. He then ran his fingers through her hair that reached well past her shoulders. "I really am. You weren't supposed to be out there at all. And now look at your beautiful face."

"Ah, it never was beautiful," she murmured, looking down, "Now it's just horrible."

"You listen to me," he said, caressing her cheek. "Just because you don't look like Torrie or Stacy or whoever, does not mean you are not beautiful. You are to me. In this moment in time, ain't that all that matters?"

In all honesty, that should have bothered her—_you don't look like Torrie or Stacy_—but she knew the truth and was comfortable with that but Rob, in his own way, had told her that she was beautiful to him. It was all that mattered as he rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip. She heard Shawn's voice in her head again—_ With us, you can have all the desires of you heart._ She couldn't believe this but her desire now was to let herself fall as deeply as she could into Rob's blue eyes. After her only attempt at making love had been a failure, she vowed she would save herself for marriage but the way Rob was looking at her, the way he deeply inhaled the scent of her hair was throwing a monkey wrench into that vow. She thought she would explode if he didn't take her into his arms and kiss her, so she reached for him first. By the way Rob returned her kiss, it was evident they were both thinking the same thing.

They drank greedily from each other's lips—he being so careful not to hurt her split lip. He planted kisses all over the exposed flesh on her face. Chills ran throughout her body and her ability to think about anything else spiraled into oblivion. She snaked her arms around his neck and pulled the rubber band from his hair. The long tendrils fell down to fan out across his back. She ran her fingers through his hair, tangling his thick locks in her hands when his mouth found her earlobe. Her hands explored every part of his shirtless chest and back; his skin was hot underneath her fingertips. As much as she wanted him at that precise moment, she wanted these feelings to last forever.

Samia pulled away from him to start trailing kisses down his neck and across his chest. Her kisses seared across his flesh and he leaned back into the pillows to absorb as much of her as he could. Rob moaned when her tongue found one nipple and he dug his fingers even deeper into her long hair. She continued to trail a line of kisses as she explored farther down. Pushing aside the elastic top of his green boxers, she found her favorite spot on a man—that little smooth soft part where the top of his thigh ended and his hip began. What she wouldn't have done for a piece of ice to torture him with.

When he couldn't take it any longer, Rob pulled her back up to him and devoured her mouth. "This is not fair," he huskily spoke.

"What's not fair?" she whispered in reply.

"This." With that, her simple blue cotton nightgown was history. She felt so exposed in nothing but her white bikini panties but Rob quickly pulled her to him so that their bare chests were touching. Goosebumps rose on every part of her body. The little stabs of pain that had covered her face were pushed away by the simple pleasure of just being with Rob in this way. He gently rolled her onto her back and began paying her back for teasing him. Her breasts ached from desire as he lavished attention on each one.

When neither thought that they could stand waiting any longer, Rob stopped to stare her in the eyes. "While this all may seem so fast, it doesn't mean that I don't love you."

"I know now that I love you too," she replied, confident in every word.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" he whispered as his passion-filled eyes, half hidden by his long dark lashes, searched her clouded green eyes sending the same messages back.

"You're askin' the wrong person. Are _you_ sure this is what _you_ want?" she asked with a throaty laugh.

"I don't think that warrants an answer," he replied with a half grin.

"Me neither," she whispered and lost herself in a spiraling abyss of pleasure with the man she _loved._ The nWo and Shawn Michaels were the last things on her mind as Rob took her to planes of pleasure she never knew existed.

TBC…


	9. Gut Instincts

For disclaimers, warnings, list of characters, etc., see chapter one.

_**Chapter IX: Gut Instincts**_

At her persistence, Rob allowed Samia to accompany him to the arena but refused to let her out of his sight except for his match. He made her promise that she would stay in the dressing room with the door locked and would answer for no one. She refused to be confined so at first but the little earlobe nibble made her succumb. She watched his non-title match on the room's monitor, absolutely dying to be out there. Her face had turned beautiful shades of purple and green with a little bit of yellow thrown in and she now only had to wear two band-aids for her cuts. Still, she showed up in jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt that she pulled over her head when they came in the arena, hoping the cameras wouldn't catch the "results" of Hurricane Terri.

In the middle of Rob's match, there was a knock at the door and Samia put her ear up against the door. "May I help you?"

"It's me, Angel," Shawn Michaels called from the other side. "Can I come in?"

She pondered the thought but remembered he was the reason she was 'locked up.' "What do you need?"

"Can I come in first?" he pleaded, slightly jiggling the door handle to get his point across.

"Better not," she bluntly replied, grasping the knob to keep it from rattling.

"Look, I only want to check on you," Shawn replied and she could tell he had let go of the handle.

"I'm fine, just peachy. If you have to, stop back by when Rob's back." Samia attempted to be diplomatic but bringing up Rob's name would guarantee that he wouldn't be back.

"Yeah, right, and end up a spot on the wall. No thanks," he muttered and flopped up against the door, contemplating his next move since he couldn't get in the door and sweep her off her feet.

"Sorry."

"Fine," he said, pulling himself up right. "Tell Rob 'congratulations' and that I said he's the better man in your heart…but not in wrestling."

"Is that a warning?" she asked much louder.

"Maybe," he casually answered.

"Don't warn me."

"I'm not warning you, I'm warning him. I wouldn't hurt _you_ in any way," Shawn replied, as if he was discussing the weather.

"Hurting him _is_ hurting me," Samia retorted, glad that she wasn't having this conversation face to face.

"In this business, that's the way the ball bounces," Shawn responded and she could hear the carefree attitude in his voice.

"Only at the insistence of people like you," she snapped and banged her fist on the door.

"Come on now, Angel. Don't be so mean."

"Shawn, _I_ am not the one being mean."

"Samia," he cut her off, not wanting to make this any worse than it already was. "Take care of yourself and, above all, be happy."

"Shawn," she called, wondering what in the hell that was supposed to mean. He didn't answer. "Shawn!" Still no answer. Samia put her hand of the handle to pull it open but, with the way he worked, he was probably standing on the other side just waiting for her to do it. She took the chance but the hall was empty. It seemed as if Shawn Michaels had just walked out of her life, but she didn't quite have that feeling despite his words. She settled on the couch to wait for Rob's return and to rest, the 'activities' earlier in the day having worn her out.

* * *

"I want you to stay here tonight. I have a bad feeling about you going," Rob said, gently massaging her back as she lay against him on her side. Her head was cradled in the crook of his neck and she mindlessly fiddled with his hair that spilled over his chest and tickled her nose. 

"There was no problem last week and I'm feeling much better. Look, down to only one band-aid and two ugly bruises," she said with a laugh, gesturing at her face. "Besides that, I feel absolutely fine, not counting all our lessons in self-defense."

"I know, but I just have this feeling, some gut instinct I guess," he replied with a shrug.

Samia hooked her leg over his and rose up to look him in the eyes. "I'm not staying here no matter what you say. This is coming from your lover and not your valet. It would kill me not to be there with you. I love you, Rob, and I want to be there. Besides," she lay back down, "Shawn said something the other week that makes me believe that the nWo is gonna leave me alone."

"Really? When did you talk to Shawn?" This time he rose up to look at her.

"Well, um," she stuttered, knowing she had let the cat out of the bag. "You see…" she began to explain Shawn's visit.

"He's right about one thing—I am the better man. I have you," Rob replied and hugged her to him. She had expected him to be angry with her or, at least, angry at the situation. He rolled over on his side to face her, gave her a kiss, and whispered, "I love you." He started tracing little circles all over her chest and stomach, raising goose bumps all over her body.

"I love you too, babe, but we have to get out of bed. You have a show, you know." She giggled when he traced fingers down her side as she started to climb over him to begin getting ready. He then wrapped his arms around her and flipped her over, straddling her.

"We don't have to be there for another hour. No problem. We can be late." Before she could reply, he captured her lips with his.

"Rob, do you know how much trouble we'll be in if we're late," she murmured against him.

"We get a warning first," he replied, shifting to rummage over the side of the bed with one hand while still straddling her and the other hand roaming across her body.

"What are you doing? We have to go," she said, feebly pushing at his hand to give him the hint. He righted himself back up but held something behind his back. "Rob, come one. What're you doing?" she asked, trying to wiggle out from under him.

"Give me a kiss," he huskily demanded, leaning down towards her. He ran his hands from her shoulders and down her arms. He twined her fingers in his and raised her hands above her head. She pulled away from the kiss to give him a questioning look which turned into one of shock as he deftly wrapped one of her scarves around her wrists and then over the headboard.

"Rob!" she exclaimed but that was all she could say as she sucked in her breath as his mouth moved down below her bellybutton. Being late for RAW became the last thing on her mind.

When he lay down beside her spent and his eyes fluttered closed, she started pulling at the scarf. "No naps now, Rob. We've gotta go! Untie me."

"After that, I thought you would like being tied up."

"Any other time than when we only have," she began and glanced over at the clock, "two seconds to be at the arena and it takes fifteen minutes to get there on a good day. Move it!"

"Alright," he sighed like a sullen child and began undoing the knot of the scarf. Samia slid out from under him and threw her black hooded sweatshirt over her head. She didn't have time to get a suit ready, fix her hair, and put on make-up. She'd hide out one more night. Rob was turning circles in the room like he was looking for something. She was about to ask him what he needed when the phone rang.

She made a wild dash for it. "Hello…Yeah, he's here…No…We're on our way…No way…We're coming…Stall if you can." She hung up the phone. "Rob, you're on the card first!"

After being pulled over by the police and barely talking their way out of a ticket, they dashed into the building and were met by a very angry Vince McMahon. Rob just ran by him, yelling, "Five minutes and I'll be ready."

Samia stopped to speak with the Chairman. "We got stuck in traffic and then in a routine police check," she lied, hoping her hair didn't have that freshly bedded look.

"Sure, Carlsen, sure," he said, rolling his upper lip. "Jeff and Spike agreed to go before him. He's got until the end of their match."

"Look, we're really sorry. Are you sure you can't put him back one more?" McMahon just rolled his eyes with a snort and stalked away. Frustrated, Samia hurried off to find Rob quickly suiting up. "When this match is over, you're up," she tiredly said and sank down on the couch.

"Against who?" Rob asked, pulling on his boots.

"You know, I haven't a clue."

"Doesn't matter now. It's all good. I just hope it's not a championship match," he replied, jerking his belt up and heading for the door. "_Please_ stay here. Door locked. I'll be back soon." He stole a quick kiss and disappeared from her sight. She turned up the volume on the monitor and settled back on the couch, praying this would all turn out fine. However, she about passed out when she heard Eddie Guerrero's music and Lilian announce that the belt was on the line. RVD didn't seem to show any of her concern as he made his entrance, looking cool as a cucumber as always.

Just as the bell rang to start the match, she heard a knock at the door. "Who is it?"

"It's just Adrienne."

"Gimme a minute," she called back, rising from the couch. It was safe; it was only Adrienne, probably delivering a warning from McMahon. The blonde unlocked the door and opened it to find Adrienne with Chris Benoit.

* * *

Van Dam was feeling the strain of not having enough time to get ready for the match. He was barely keeping up with Guerrero. The minute he had control of the match, he lost it and then fought to get it back. _This is the last time I suggest we can do anything in an hour_, he thought, having to quickly push a naked Samia writhing under him out of his mind. The thought was cut short by a blow to his stomach from Eddie. He was about to try a counter when he heard his name over the speakers and looked up to see Chris Benoit on the large screen. He didn't know what hit him when Guerrero came from behind and had him pinned for the three count. He couldn't believe he was stupid enough to have the lost his concentration and, as a result, lost the belt. 

Rob lay there for a moment, trying to get his bearings as Eddie walked off, but Benoit called his name again. "RVD, I think there's something you need to see." He pulled himself up from the mat and leaned against one of the ropes to watch the screen. Benoit motioned for the cameraman to follow him into RVD's dressing room. Rob wasn't sure if he should race off to find them or to wait to see what Benoit was doing. The other wrestler opened the door to a room that looked like a disaster area. It had been absolutely trashed. On the wall in black spray paint was written "nWo 4-Life." Across the couch was one of RVD's "Whole Dam Show" shirt with "nWo" written across it. The camera panned back around to the door and a feminine figure stood there with a black hooded sweatshirt on and blonde hair peeking out from the hood. She raised her right hand that held a can of spray paint and proceeded to cover the lens of the camera in black paint. On the woman's hand was a ring just like the one Rob had given Samia on her birthday.

RVD staggered under the mental blow. He edged back to lean up against the turnbuckle to catch his breath. He couldn't believe she had betrayed him like that. It all began to make sense to him—all the times he caught her with the nWo just to hear her stumble over excuses. He was in an absolute rage. He took off out of the ring and down the halls to his room. No one was there but he knew exactly where to look—they would be harboring her from him and he wasn't going to leave until she heard what he had to say. He didn't even consider the repercussions of barging into the pit of snakes.

RVD jerked the door open to find four members of the nWo gathered around a monitor. Samia lay on the couch on her stomach with her head in the lap of Shawn Michaels, which set Van Dam off even more. They knew he was coming and no one intentionally moved. Shawn then slipped out from under Samia, leaving her unmoving on the black leather couch. He dropped something down beside her and strode over to stand nose to nose with the irate wrestler. Nash flanked RVD on one side and Triple H on the other. Big Show came up to stand behind Shawn while X-Pac stuck his head in between Nash and Michaels.

"Say it and leave," HBK growled.

"You are sick, every one of you. I can't believe you would stoop this low. Was she in on this from the beginning or did you find another innocent person to destroy?"

"Harsh words, Van Dam. Look around you. You don't want to start anything here," Nash commented, cracking his knuckles. Either RVD was too stupid to realize what they were saying or too angry to move, but he stood his ground.

Through the hazy fog, Samia thought she heard Rob's words. He angrily yelled at the five men again and she then recognized his voice, struggling to rise up from the couch. The back of her head throbbed and hurt so much it made her vision swim. Her hand knocked something off the couch and she reached down to pick up a bag of ice wrapped in a towel. Then she heard Nash speak and she looked up to see Rob in the midst of the nWo. The woman had no clue how she got there or exactly what was going on. The last she remembered was opening the door to Adrienne and Benoit and turning her back on them for just a moment. For fear of what the faction was about to do to Rob, she drew in her breath against the pain and staggered across the room, pushing her way in between Helmsley and Michaels. "What exactly is going on here?"

"You tell me that," Rob spat at her.

"Excuse me?" Samia responded.

"Don't play stupid with me. You dragged me in deep just so you could make me lose the belt. You stole my heart just so you could break it for the entertainment of these idiots. I loved you, Samia. I loved you and what did you do to me? Why? Just tell me that."

"Rob, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't even know how I got here…" she said, holding the back of her head and looking around the room.

"Just stop there," he snapped, holding up a hand. "I don't want to hear another one of your watered down excuses. I can't believe I didn't see it coming." He dropped his head into his hand and took in another deep breath. "Just tell me one thing. Were you sleeping with Michaels when you and I were…" His words trailed off, unable to finish the question.

"Rob, I don't know anything else except that I love you and you have been the only man in my life in several years. I love you. I don't know what all this confusion is about but I…"

He put up his hand again to stop her. "Whatever. Don't bother showing up for 'work' again. If you want to work here again, take that up with your _friends_ because you aren't employed with me anymore."

"Rob…" Samia reached for him but he was so inflamed that he harshly pushed her hand away. Shawn drew back to punch him, but Nash grabbed his arm and just shook his head.

Van Dam turned to go before he was in more trouble than he could get out of. "Thanks for nothing…Angel," he sarcastically drawled over his shoulder as he disappeared out the door.

* * *

"This is not good, King. I just can't believe she's a conniving Jezebel. This is not good," J. R. said, shaking his head. 

"What's not good about it? I love it! Samia in the nWo! Can't get any better!" Lawler cackled.

"I don't know. I'm not sure she's in with the nWo. From what she said, I think something else is up…" J. R.'s train of thought quickly ground to a halt. "Wait a minute. Just last week you were calling her names I won't repeat."

"I reserve every right to change my mind," the former wrestler snapped in response.

"Yeah, and it's not like you don't do it frequently…" J. R. muttered under his breath.

TBC…


	10. Plans Begin to Unfold

**_Chapter X: Plans Begin to Unfold_**

"I have to sit down," Samia bluntly stated and began swaying. Shawn and Hunter reached out a hand to steady her and then helped her to the sofa while Nash checked outside the door one more time to make sure RVD wasn't coming back with security, although Kevin doubted it.

Samia was beyond confused and her pounding head wasn't helping. She put her head in her hands and barely choked out, "Will somebody find me some aspirin or somethin', please?"

"Lay back down," Shawn pulled her down into his lap again. He found the ice bag and tenderly held it to her head.

"Okay, I give," she sighed, rubbing her eyes. "What just happened?"

"Funny thing—but totally true—Hunter was leaving, opened the door, and you just fell in the room…like a godsend," he said as if it was a miracle.

"I'm leaving," she groaned and tried to rise.

"Okay, really," Shawn said and pushed her back down. "Hunter found you outside our door. You were unconscious with a nasty bump on the back of your head," HBK said, toying with her hair.

Nash chimed in, "Apparently you were in two places at one time and didn't know it. While you were passed out on our couch, Benoit interrupted RVD's match, costing him the belt, and took the camera man into his dressing room. It was beyond trashed. Someone with your shirt on had apparently spray painted our logo on everything."

"Oh, god…did y'all do it?" Samia asked, looking up at Shawn and then at the other guys in the room.

"No," they all responded at the same time.

"Did you set Benoit up to do it?"

"No," they all responded again.

She started to fiddle with her ring, which had become a habit. It wasn't there. "It's gone! I can't believe it!" she exclaimed, sitting up bolt right. The room swam and she leaned on the back of the couch.

"What's gone, Angel?"

"The ring Rob gave me—it's gone. I lost it…or _she _took it!" Samia almost broke down crying from all that had transpired in just a few minutes. "It's just not true. This isn't happening," she stammered, pushing herself up from the sofa. Shawn reached out a steadying hand but she pushed him away and stumbled for the door. Grabbing the handle, she turned around and choked out, "Don't you understand you can't force someone into something they don't want?" She slammed the door behind her, but they could still hear her sobs as she attempted to race down the hall towards Rob's dressing room, holding onto the wall and willing herself to put one foot in front of the other.

Samia took a deep breath before pounding on the door, trying to calm her breathing and clear her head. "Rob!" She waited for him to answer the door since she could hear him inside. "Rob, please answer the door! Please!"

Van Dam finally appeared. "You are made for them. You just don't know when to quit. Leave me alone," he yelled and pushed past her. She lost her balance and fell against the frame, sliding down to the floor as she watched him stalk off. The floodgates opened again.

* * *

The room was silent as a devastated Samia staggered out the door. They all turned to look at each other but X-Pac broke the silence. "She's been too much trouble. I say we just let her go. There ain't much more we can do to RVD." 

Nash ignored X-Pac's comment and nudged Michaels with his elbow. "Shawn, now's your chance. Go get her, man."

"I'm not using her when she's hurt." Four heads simultaneously turned to stare at HBK in shock. Shawn _not _use a girl?

"What?" Kevin exclaimed. "You want to 'prove' the truth to her? That we had nothing to do with it and it was all Benoit's doing? Put her and RVD back together? Break down everything that we've worked for to get her in?"

"What do we need her for now anyway?" X-Pac interjected, mad that no one was paying attention to what he had to say. "Benoit and Guerrero did our dirty work. Whether she comes with us or not, it's just as good as a turn."

"Au contraire, my friend, she's easy pickin's, a nobody. It's like _My Fair Lady_, except we never fall for her _and_ we reap all the benefits…You know, _My Fair Lady, _'enry 'iggins, the rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain?" Nash waved at the blank stares. "Never mind," he muttered. Despite all that had been said, Shawn didn't respond. "Fine. Go put them back together for all I care."

Shawn quietly stood from the sofa and headed out the door. He found Samia still in the floor sobbing and squatted down beside her. "Angel," he softly spoke and she just glared at him. "Samia, will you hear me out?" The woman then looked back up at him, tears still streaming, and nodded.

He held a hand out to her and pulled her to her feet. The dressing room was too much of a reminder, so he searched out a secluded spot to talk. "Mia…can I call you 'Mia'?" he asked as they settled on some crates in a deserted hallway.

"It's better than 'Sammy,'" she sniffed.

"That's so not you. You're more delicate than 'Sammy,'" he said, making the word sound so ugly. She tried not to laugh but a giggle slipped through. "'Mia' is so much prettier—short and cute, just like you."

"Quit buttering me up...hey, I'm not short."

"To everyone else around here, you are. As to the rest, I'm just being honest." She cocked her head at him as he continued, "I really seriously want to talk to you. I want you to know that we had absolutely nothing to do with what happened tonight. All of us really want you to know that _and_ believe us." _With the exception of X-Pac for the moment, _he thought. "I'm not gonna give you any lines about joining up with us even though that doesn't mean we don't want you anymore. Now that Rob's walked out on you, you are still more than welcome to hang with us," Shawn sweetly said and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She nodded and wiped away a few trickling tears. "If you still want to work in the WWE, one of us will find a way to get you a job here."

"Why do I believe you?" she sighed.

"Because I've got one of those faces?" he asked with a smile and she only shook her head. His face straightened and then he commented, "Maybe because it's the truth?" There was a moment of silence. "You need to see someone about that bump on your head. You weren't out long but we might want to be sure."

"Yeah, I guess so. Thanks," she said and rose to go.

"I'll go with you," he quickly added and, to his surprise, the woman didn't protest.

Samia held on to his arm but she was steady on her feet again and her vision had cleared, except for the remnants of her crying. The trainer seemed to be satisfied with that but he wanted her to stay with someone throughout the night, just in case. She ignored that comment, thanked him, and Shawn rejoined her from where he was leaning up against the wall, watching the man check her over.

"Everything's all right, so…" she trailed off, debating what she needed to do next.

"I guess you need a ride back to the hotel."

"I can take a taxi," she said with a sigh and started to rise.

"I can't let you do that," he countered and put a hand on her arm to stop her. "I'm not sure you even need to be alone tonight. You're really upset and the trainer wasn't too thrilled about you staying alone either." She shot him a questioning look and he shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I heard what he said."

She looked down and her mouth formed a silent 'oh.' "I think you're right, but who…all of my friends are his friends and I don't think they're gonna be nice to me…_ever_…Do…do you think I could…stay with you for this evening?" she asked, staring at her feet and digging the toes of her flats in the floor at the chair.

Shawn slipped his hand under her chin, drawing her eyes up to look up at him. "I was hoping so. Come on, let's go. Did you bring anything with you?"

"Yeah, I've got a bag that I _hope_ is still in the dressing room. Ever since that impromptu match with Terri, I don't leave without 'impromptu' gear." She made rabbit ears in the air. They headed back to the room and dug around in the mess until her bag was recovered.

Shawn glanced around and mused, "All probably Benoit and Guerrero. They _were_ on our good side. Not anymore." She picked up her bag and looked around the room, a few more tears slipping out. "Don't do this to yourself. Let's go," he said, wiping one away with his thumb. She didn't draw back and he slipped an arm around her to lead her back to the nWo's room. "Samia's gonna hang with us tonight. Okay?" he explained, not expecting anything other than the nods of agreement. Samia timidly curled up on the corner of the couch to quietly watch RAW. After a couple of matches, the Big Show and X-Pac headed out for their tag-team match and the room became a little quieter.

Shawn settled down beside her. "After this match, I'm gonna take you back to the hotel and stay with you for the night."

"No, no, that's alright. I…" she trailed off, the realization hitting her. "Rob and I had a room together. I don't even know where I'm gonna stay."

"With us," he answered.

"I'll just get another room. It's no problem."

"Just let us, at least, this once. You already agreed that you don't need to be alone tonight."

"I meant that for the rest of RAW," she replied but then added with a slightly sarcastic smile, "but I knew you'd turn it into something else."

"Who? Me?" he asked in mock offense.

"Alright," she sighed and Shawn gave her a big grin before heading over to whisper with Kevin and Hunter for awhile. She didn't have the energy to care about what they were hiding from her.

Big Show and X-Pac finally returned. "Tough match, guys. Thought we were gonna have to come out and get you out of trouble. We're going back to the hotel. Go back and get some rest or y'all and Hunter can head out on the town," Shawn explained, massaging X-Pac's shoulders. Both of the tired wrestlers declined. "We're out of here then," Shawn said, jerking his head toward Samia. "See ya, t'morrow."

Samia rose from her place on the sofa, clutching her bag to her. She couldn't believe she was going back with him but she definitely didn't want to attempt to get into RVD's room or spend the night alone. "Let's go, chick," Nash said, putting a hand on her back and propelling her towards the door.

"What're we doin'?" Samia whispered to Shawn inside the limo on the way to the hotel.

"I'm gonna see you settled in mine and Kevin's room—he's staying with Hunter—and then me, Kev, and Hunter are gonna have a long discussion about Benoit and Guerrero and RVD."

"Please don't hurt him," she quietly pleaded.

"What?"

"Rob—please don't hurt him. He's been through enough," Samia replied despite his shocked face. He should have known that she would still stand up for him even though he had treated her the way he did that night and refused to listen to her. Shawn said nothing and Samia figured nothing else said would change his mind anyhow.

Nash and Helmsley disappeared into the adjoining room and pulled the door to while Shawn picked up around the room. Samia wanted to tell him to 'never mind,' she'd seen it all before. "I can take it from here," she said, interrupting his stashing of clothing. "Really, have your little conference or whatever. I'm gonna shower and lay down."

"How's your head?"

"It's still throbbing but, at least, it's a dull hurt now. You can go," she answered, nudging him towards the other room.

"I'm gonna wake you up when you can have more aspirin and every few hours. Standard for a possible concussion," he added the last when she raised her eyebrows in question. Samia thought she remembered reading that somewhere, so she didn't argue and just nodded. HBK did as he said but then left her alone after late morning to sleep as long as she needed. He knew it would be late before she really woke up after such an exhausting night.

No one was in the room when she did wake. Freshening up, she pulled on the jeans and sweatshirt from last night before leaving. There was a keycard on the television and she thought about taking it but she didn't want to stay another night in his room. The one she and Rob had shared was two floors up and she was not looking forward to facing him to retrieve her belongings.

However, he wasn't there to face. All of her luggage was sitting outside the door and he was gone or wasn't answering the door. It didn't matter because the key was forgotten in their hurry to get to the arena last night. She was so numb from it all and the luggage in the hallway didn't faze her. With nothing else to do, she made sure she was checked out of their room as well and into another.

Samia needed some time to decide what to do next. Should she give up and go home? Should she try to talk to Rob again? Reservations for the flight to the next town still stood and she could reroute it back to Atlanta tomorrow if need be. She was absentmindedly flipping through papers of reservations, expense reports, and an odd assortment of others while debating on what she would have for supper. She was still tired but her head no longer hurt unless she touched the knot on it. However, the spurned woman would have preferred to eat in then sit in a restaurant alone.

Apparently someone was listening in on her wavelength as Shawn Michaels showed up at her door with a dinner proposal.

"How'd you know this was my room?" she asked before giving him her reply.

He flashed that mysterious grin but moved on. "So, you are coming? You can finally take me up on getting drinks together."

"I don't know."

Triple H's gruff voice sounded from behind him. "Come on. We wouldn't let you go with just Shawn. We don't trust him either," he said with a slight laugh and he and Kevin joined HBK.

Shawn turned back to her after winking at Hunter. "So?"

"I guess," she responded, trying to fiddle with her ring that wasn't there, which reminded her of how heavy her heart and mind was. "I have nothing else to do."

"Geez, Mia, that was _too_ easy," Shawn replied with a laugh.

"You want me to say 'no?'"

"Never mind."

TBC…


	11. The Effects of Tequila

**_Chapter XI: The Effects of Tequila_**

Samia woke up with a splitting headache and rolled over to find herself in a hotel room that seemed vaguely familiar. The shower was running and the door to an adjoining room was open. She almost went into a panic, wondering what she had gotten herself into. The blonde wasn't really sure she wanted to know who was in the shower or who was in the other room. She peeked under the covers to find herself in a _very_ large T-shirt. _At least I'm clothed with my underwear still on, _she thought with a sigh of relief. The relief passed quickly when her stomach heavily roiled. She didn't care who was in the shower as she burst in to hug the toilet. Her stomach settled instead of letting loose and she rose to get a cup of water.

"Hand me a towel, Angel?" Instinct told her whose room she was in without having to hear Shawn Michaels' voice. She looked around for a towel and shoved it behind the shower curtain. Shawn found her back in bed burrowed under the blanket and her head buried under the pillows. "You okay?"

"No," she groaned, peeking out from underneath the pillows and trying not to think about how sexy he looked half-naked. "It's kinda hard to be when you wake up in the infamous Shawn Michaels' bed and all you remember is a second margarita. I didn't know it was possible to get drunk off of margaritas."

Shawn settled on the bed beside her and asked, "So you don't remember setting all those shots of tequila on fire?"

"What!" she exclaimed, shooting up from underneath the pillows but immediately lying back down as her stomach threatened to expel any leftover contents.

"Yeah, the bartender had the bouncers kick us out after that," he replied with a smirk.

"Please, tell me I didn't do that."

"Well, not all of it's true," he replied, patting her leg. "We didn't get kicked out and you didn't get them on fire, even though you tried." He reached for her hand and held it up where she could see a small blister on her thumb.

Samia just groaned and buried her head back under the pillows.

"Hey, Shawn," Nash called, appearing at the door. "Sleeping Beauty's awake?" Shawn nodded. "Good. Mia, I'm on my last clean shirt and you're wearing it. Can I have it back?"

She jerked up again, looking at Kevin and then at Shawn. She did a double take at a scantily clad Nash. _Just get out of here_, her mind screamed even though her eyes wouldn't come unglued from him. "I didn't…I mean, we didn't…" She picked at the blue shirt with a "Fubu" logo.

"No. Were we supposed to?" Kevin asked, laughing.

"Y'all really didn't," Shawn responded, hitting her with a pillow. She threw the other pillow at him, catching sight of his bare thigh almost up to his hip from where his towel shifted. Her stomach did several flips while she tried to regain her breathing.

"I really should go. I have a plane to catch later this evening to…well, to somewhere. You know, I don't have my job anymore," she sarcastically reminded him.

"Go ahead and fly in. I'll make some phone calls this afternoon. Just show up as usual," Shawn replied.

"Usual? Nothing is usual anymore," she groaned and threw her bare legs over the side of the bed.

"You know what I mean." He looked at her cock-eyed.

"If I'm to catch my flight, I need my clothes," she stated and started looking around before catching sight of them in the corner of the room. "Do you mind?" she asked, glaring at Shawn.

"Saw it last night," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "What difference does it make this morning?" She quickly jerked her clothes up and headed to the bathroom in a huff. When the woman returned, Shawn and Kevin were in the other room talking. She quietly laid his shirt across the bed and slipped out the door, hoping they wouldn't notice.

Outside in the hall, Samia had to think twice about where her latest room was at. In three days, she had been in three different rooms. Through the alcohol-induced haze, she managed to find her room and crash again to sleep off the hangover. The woman had never gotten drunk in her life and she never had the intention of doing so again. When her headache finally subsided and her stomach calmed, she packed and sent for a cab to the airport.

Rob wasn't on the flight, just as she expected. Apparently he had changed his flight to avoid her. _I would too if I believed what he did and he has every right to believe so. I just wish he would listen to me, _she thought, squeezing more eyedrops in her eyes to clear the red out from the hangover and what felt like perpetual sobbing.

Samia didn't want to show in Rob's hometown of Battlecreek, Michigan, because she knew it wouldn't be pretty at the arena with what happened the night before. As a fan, she would be mad too. She checked into a hotel that was different from the one she had booked for Rob even though he had probably changed hotels anyhow. She was quickly in bed, still aching from the night of tequila and not looking forward to the most boring and depressing week of her life.

Shawn called a few times trying to get her to go out with them again. Remembering, or really not remembering, the last time she was out with them, she declined each time. She was completely baffled at how he knew which hotel she was in. When she asked him, he responded with, "I have my ways, Angel, I have my ways." He called again as she was getting ready to leave for the arena. "I've changed my mind. We're taking you to the arena," he said, speaking as if his decision was an order.

"Um, no," Samia flatly replied and hung up without hearing his comment. She straightened her black moleskin suit trimmed in fuchsia. As many pissed off people that were going to be there, she wanted to look her best whether or not she felt her best. Outside the hotel's door she expected to see her cab waiting, but instead a sleek, black limo was parked at the curb. The Big Show was casually leaning up against the door.

"The easy way or the hard way? It's up to you," he said with his arms crossed over his massive chest. She looked around for an avenue of escape but too many people had already taken notice of the giant and the limo. When Show was sent to do business, the outcome was always in his favor.

"Fine," she replied and the Big Show opened the door for her. She slid in and took the space between Shawn and Kevin, knowing better than to try the spot between X-Pac and Triple H due to the look X-Pac was shooting at her. Nash offered her a pre-show drink.

"What is it?" she asked, tentatively reaching for the glass.

"Tequila," he flatly answered and her eyes shot daggers at him while she wished looks could kill.

"I thought you liked tequila, chick," Kevin laughed.

"Do y'all take great personal pleasure in torturing me?"

"Take it with a grain of salt and move on," Hunter answered. "Grain of salt, get it?" With that comment, the coroner would have been on his way to collect another dead body. They were all just about on her bad side.

When the laughter subsided, Shawn got down to business. "Here's the best I could do for you. One—go back home." She shook her head, knowing she'd be more miserable at home without even trying. "Two—some secretarial job at the corporate offices." Same reason, especially since she'd just walked away from something like that. "Alright, option three—valet for Steven Richards or Tommy Dreamer." She vigorously shook her head in the negative. "Last option—go-fer…or a rabbit or one of those animals."

_Why? What did I do to deserve this kind of crap? _she wanted to whine,_ This isn't any better than my job back home. _However, she couldn't walk away from this dream, this opportunity, and the ex-valet recognized the possibility of maybe getting Rob back if she stayed with the WWE. As a go-fer, she would still be in contact with him in a neutral position. "Is this for all the shows?"

"Unfortunately, yes," he apologetically answered. Maybe this way, she wouldn't have to know how miserable and heartbroken she was.

"Okay, I'm game…Ha, I'm _game_, get it?" she sarcastically commented, throwing a glare at Helmsley.

"Mine was better," he picked back.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and made a "W" with her hands.

"That is so lame."

"And your joke wasn't?"

"Okay, kids," Nash cut in. "We're here. Knock it off." He winked at Hunter.

As the limo came to a halt, X-Pac was quickly out of the door to come face to face with Coach and a camera. He pulled some fake jabs at the camera and moved on without a comment. The Big Show just put his hand on Coach's forehead and pushed him backward. Triple H made moose ears at him and walked away. Nash, wondering what in the world the other three were doing, stuck his head out the door and caught sight of Coach. He disappeared back within the limo. "I think _she_ needs to hang here for a few minutes. Coach is out there."

A nasty word flew out of her mouth but she quickly recovered and quietly responded, "No argument here."

"I'll stay too," Shawn interjected.

"I think it best that you don't, Shawn," Samia countered. "They'll know I'm in here. Please, for me, don't stay and, whatever you do, don't say anything." She pleaded desperately with her eyes.

"Alright, Angel, you're too convincing. I'll come back and get you."

Once out of the vehicle, Coach began a barrage of questions. "What do you have to say about what happened with RVD last week? Did the nWo do it? Is Samia Carlsen in on this? Rumor is she spent the night with you, Shawn. Care to comment?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Shawn said with a shrug as the interviewer loped alongside of him.

"Really? Which part of that?"

"All of it, maybe…" Shawn kept walking but Coach was right behind him all the way.

"So you claim no connections with RVD's backstabbing, two-timing girlfriend?" Shawn abruptly stopped and turned on his heel.

"Ask the questions, don't make the judgments," he growled.

"You just answered my question," Coach smugly replied. Shawn's arm drew back for a punch but Nash stopped him.

"You're really lucky tonight," HBK snarled, pointing a finger in the interviewer's face. "Stay away because you might not be so lucky next time."

With that, the entirety of the nWo disappeared within their dressing room. Moments later, Shawn emerged. Instead of going to retrieve Samia, he found Samia's new immediate boss. "Margaret, she agreed. You're really gonna love her," Michaels gushed, putting his arm around the older lady that was probably WWE's best backstage coordinator. She was loved by all and basically everybody's grandmother.

"I hope so. I promise not to judge her on what she 'supposedly' did but I won't give her any slack because of you either," she replied smiling.

"Trust me. She's a hard worker, very respectful."

"Shawn, it's okay. I believe you. Just go get her."

Shawn kissed her on the cheek and then flashed his wide smile. "Are you getting younger?"

"Go," she replied, pointing towards the parking lot and laughing. He returned within moments with Samia in tow and left her with Margaret to get acquainted.

Samia threw herself into her work. She felt that if she stayed busy, she wouldn't see the glares or hear the snickers. When Rob's match came up, she somehow managed to slip away and find a monitor. From the moment he came out, she regretted her decision to watch. There were so many signs that had quite a few ugly comments on them. The ones that cheered her on for "joining the nWo" made her stomach turn. _I didn't do it,_ she wanted to scream. She ached to just hear Rob speak her name again, not to mention the burning for his touch. He seemed his usual self and it cut at her. To cope, she reminded herself that he was a performer and just that 'dam' good. _He is just that "dam" perfect,_ she sighed to herself. Margaret found her before the end of the match but the lady wrapped an arm around the younger's waist and led her away. No chastisement, only comfort, and that was what Samia needed. At the end of the night, she still had plenty to do and was grateful for it so she could decline a ride back to the hotel with Shawn.

TBC…


	12. Carrying Watermelons

**Author's Notes:** Thanks again to all my reviewers. I'm so amazed that I've had this many people review my fic. For the next several chapters or so with regards to Samia and Rob, remember that history has a way of being circular.

For disclaimers, warnings, list of characters, etc., see chapter one.

**_

* * *

Chapter XII: Carrying Watermelons_**

SmackDown! was easier only because the show's wrestlers didn't work as closely with the nWo and RVD. Of course, not all were indifferent to the situation and there were still the glares and laughs. The only thing that kept her going was that it would eventually be yesterday's news or she would be back with Rob and her "honor" restored.

RAW came around too quickly and Samia jumped in head first. Shawn, Kevin, and Hunter stopped by to tease her and disappear for the rest of the night. She felt she was doing fine until Margaret handed her an envelope that had to be delivered to RVD. She tried to find Adrienne to see if the other woman would do it for her as she didn't know what exactly to say to him yet. However, she resigned herself to the fact that she would have to do it and hoped that it would be the first step towards getting back on his good side.

Samia found Adrienne first, only to find Rob with her. Rob was lounged out in a chair with Adrienne, wearing one of Dawn Marie's more 'classy' numbers. They were laughing when she stumbled upon them but quickly shut up when Samia was within steps of them. To make some extra cash in college, she had delivered summons to some extremely uncooperative people but this was worse than any subpoena she had ever delivered. Finding the courage, she stepped forward and held out the envelope.

"Rob…this…this is for you…Margaret—Ms. Salley…she sent it," Samia stuttered, her well-rehearsed speech on the way there falling by the wayside. She took a few steps backward, nodded, and turned to go. _That was as bad as Baby saying "I carried a watermelon" in Dirty Dancing_, she tearfully thought and hurried away.But before she turned the corner, she heard Adrienne and RVD bust out laughing. The stinging tears came back and she collided with Shawn, hardly resisting when he hugged her to him to comfort her.

"Shhh, it's alright, Mia," he cooed, rocking her back and forth and stroking her hair. "I know, I know. Don't let him do this to you." Finally, she got a hold of herself and began wiping the tears away. Shawn offered her his sleeve but she declined. He didn't prod her any farther and they parted ways when the woman convinced him that she would be alright.

Samia thankfully didn't have time to think about the encounter as she was sent on a mission to find more ice. With two buckets in tow, she returned to pass them off and ended up dishing out cups of ice, thinking about how she had gone from being in front of the cameras to being a servant to the wrestlers. She handed a cup away without looking up to hear a nasal voice scoff, "And I thought Nidia was the epitome of trailer trash. At least she sticks with her man." Samia wouldn't give Heyman the pleasure of a comment but her red cheeks were enough to prove to him that his remark hit home without having to see the reaction in her eyes. She glanced around to see if there was another "needy" person to be served. Undertaker was fast approaching, so she dropped her eyes and waited for his command.

"Don't let that idiot get to you. You know, you can look at me. I won't kill you, I promise," he said, ducking his head down to catch her line of vision.

"Sorry," she replied, looking up and giving him a weak smile, one he returned more fully. "I'm just not at the top of everybody's list at the moment…Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Nah, just hang in there. Everything will turn around," he said, adjusting his red bandana and picking up a bottle of water before heading off in the direction he came. To have one of her favorite wrestlers that she still idolized seem to be on her side lifted her spirits and she felt as if she might be able to make it through the abuse until she had Rob back—that was until the next week.

The crack comments never ended and the nWo never went away. In a manner of speaking, she really didn't want to them to go away. The faction and Margaret were about the only friendly faces she saw each week. Margaret was still a little wary of her but at least she treated her as if nothing ever happened. The elder woman was so altruistic that she had no doubt of why Ms. Salley treated her the way she did. As to the nWo, that was a-whole-nother ballgame. While they may have been mollifying to her troubled soul, she had severe doubts about their motivation. She had been down this road before when it involved both her and RVD. Even with them broken up, they, or more specifically Shawn, still tried to inveigle her—into _what_ was the question. Why were they still pursuing her without her ties to Rob? What did she alone have that they wanted? Whatever it was, she couldn't help but be glad to see their smiling faces in the sea of scowls each week.

For the time being, Samia resigned herself to just staying out of everybody's way, speaking only when spoken to, and trying not to be seen at all. She never had another business reason to speak to Rob and had yet to formulate a personal one. He seemed to always be talking with one of his close friends _or_ with Adrienne. Samia wanted to hate the other blonde but she didn't have the energy. There was some jealousy as she realized that she was losing Rob to Adrienne. It wasn't the other woman's fault if he chose her but that didn't mean she had to like him moving on. It wasn't so much that she was losing him to Adrienne since she had really lost him weeks ago after the incident with Benoit and Guerrero.

Either way, she couldn't compete with the senior staffer. She felt Adrienne to be much prettier than she, along with the fact that she didn't have a lot of baggage between her and Rob—by the name of the nWo. Samia really wanted to hate them but just couldn't. There was this uncanny feeling of trust with them but then she wondered if she _wanted_ to fall for them, a way out of this reality into a fantasy world. A healthy dose of escapism was a philosophy she certainly espoused.

The nWo was relentless in their picking at Rob Van Dam and she wasn't surprised if he blamed her for that too. He wouldn't come within twenty-five feet of her. RVD became the Big Show's and X-Pac's pet project and Triple H began needling the Undertaker. _Thanks, Hunter, _she thought after a particular incident with the Dead Man, _piss him off too and there's no one else left that wouldn't eat me alive._ As to the last two members of the nWo, Nash set his sights on Benoit and Guerrero and Shawn just ran around doing what he did best—helping them and pissing off everybody else around in the process.

Within about two months, Samia had fallen into a routine of work and travel—and watching, watching the nWo try to dismantle whoever they wanted. Eventually, they all began ganging up on Benoit and Guerrero and it wasn't a pretty sight. At times, she was extremely grateful she didn't know Spanish because they would have Guerrero so hacked off that words flew from his mouth like water rolling off a duck's back. Benoit and Guerrero and the nWo went back and forth and Samia kicked back for the ride. It broke up her rote week—even turning Shawn down for drinks and dinner was everyday.

During those eight weeks, her ache over losing Rob was slowly dulling. She would never be over him but it was getting easier to see him weekly—until she was sent with a message for him. It had been a while and she thought maybe this could be a moment in which they could begin again. Without him being so angry, he might eventually listen to her and hear the truth, especially now that the nWo was leaving him alone. She knocked on his dressing room door and Rob wasted little time in answering. He held the door open and leaned up against the frame.

"Something you need?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest and staring down at her.

"Hi," Samia weakly smiled. "I have a message for you." She handed the paper over to him. "I'm supposed to wait for your reply." Rob unfolded the paper and perused it.

"Sure," he looked up and started to hand the paper back to her.

"Thanks, I'll pass it on," the blonde replied, her mind churning as to how to begin what she needed to say about them. She reached out to take it from him and opened her mouth to speak again but, from out of nowhere, Adrienne broke in between them.

"Hi, _Angel_," she drawled, glaring at the other woman. Samia was taken aback at the hostility in her eyes—she had always treated civilly, if not cordially. Adrienne quickly turned to Rob and ran her hands over his bare chest. "I'm running late. Mind if I change in your dressing room? I've got something you'll really like." Then, putting her arms around him, she laid a smacker on his lips. Samia was too inflamed to see the surprised look on his face. "Move on," Adrienne said, flicking her wrist to wave the other blonde off. She then mouthed the words "white trash" and adjusted her sweatshirt.

Then it hit Samia. Adrienne had on a black hooded sweatshirt that was just like hers, this time with her blonde hair pulled back in a pony tail. Samia might not have realized it if she hadn't become accustomed to Adrienne's new tasteless attire, or lack of attire, since her association with Van Dam. The sweatshirt was obviously uncharacteristic for her recently, which she easily called to attention when she asked to use Rob's room to change. The realization almost bowled her over. Adrienne was the third party that helped Benoit and Guerrero. She was the one who pulled the wool over their eyes posing as Samia and she was the last person she remembered seeing with Benoit before the room went black.

Samia threw a punch that sent Adrienne flying into Rob and throwing him off balance. Adrienne came back instantly and Samia was speared to the ground on her back. She remembered her "lessons" from Rob and had Adrienne flipped over and pinned on her back. Before she could take out her anger, someone was dragging her off Adrienne. She fought desperately to free herself to attack Adrienne again. It was going to end here and now. Once Adrienne was free, she was quickly up off the floor and darted after Samia. Rob grabbed her by the waist before she could get to Samia. Whoever had Samia spun her around to face himself. "Shawn! What are you doing?" she exclaimed.

"Saving your ass…again."

"I had it under control this time," she huffed and tried to shrug out of his grip, even though it was impossible.

"Samia, you okay?" Rob asked, putting himself between her and Adrienne. She nodded but focused on Adrienne.

"I swear to God, woman," Samia spat through clenched teeth, "I will come after you with a vengeance. I know exactly what you did to me. You do one thing to hurt this man again and I won't stop until you're nothing but dirt on the bottom of my shoe." Adrienne pivoted around Rob and darted back after her but he had her in his grip again. "Don't try me," she shouted as HBK dragged her off.

"What were you doing?" he asked, pinning her against a wall.

"Wreaking havoc and defending my honor—which you totally screwed up!" she yelled at him. Shawn just sighed, shaking his head, and let his grip on her go. "That was her!" Samia continued, her voice loud and angry as she pointed in the direction from which they had come. "She was the one impersonating me, I know it! That's how Benoit pulled it off! I will kill her!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Kevin said it exactly. How could I be in two places at one time? _She's_ how. Benoit knocked me out, she stole me ring, and they dumped me at your door to put me in the wrong place at the wrong time. All she had to do was hide her face and _bam_! Samia number two! I will kill her when I get my hands on her! Get out of my way!" she ordered, her voice rising as she neared the end of her tirade before pushing past him.

Shawn grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back around. "No, not like this," he quietly asserted. "Let us help. We'll take out Benoit and Guerrero and pull her down with them."

"I don't know," she snapped.

"Come on. You want revenge, don't you?" he asked, pushing loose hair out of her face and caressing her cheek.

"Well, yes, but…I'll think about it," Samia replied, her voice much quieter and calmer.

"Let me know soon. Guerrero is gonna lose the belt next week if it's the last thing we do. Let's make it worth it."

"I don't know," she replied again and shook her head. "I'll sleep on it."

"Sure," he responded, then took her hand and kissed it. "Now, are you done trying to work things out with your fists?"

"I guess," she mumbled and looked away. Shawn cocked his head sideways and squinted his eyes at her, not satisfied with her answer. "Okay, yes…I won't exact my revenge tonight." He kissed her hand again and disappeared down the hall. She watched him go and wondered where _this_ Shawn came from. He was an absolute gentleman, unlike what he was known for in D-X. He was still ruthless when it came to the business and it made her wonder how he could be so sweet to her and so evil to others.

TBC…


	13. After Dinner Resolutions

**_Chapter XIII: After Dinner Resolutions_**

For the rest of the week, revenge on Adrienne Bradley was all Samia thought about. Her biggest problem was that she couldn't come up with anything on her own in retaliation without getting arrested and spending quite a bit of time in jail. This wasn't like her to be so blood-thirsty but she wasn't going to sit back and be walked all over by everybody in the company. She had won a few souls over—Ms. Salley and some of the staff, along with the Undertaker still occasionally saying a few nice words to her—but all of RVD's friends still hated her and Rob was farther back in his feelings than they were.

Samia had just about decided that her only choice was a voodoo doll and some pickle juice when a ridiculous thought popped into her head. She would just call Rob and tell him the truth. She had her proof now and he would have to understand. He'd drop Adrienne in a heartbeat, apologize to her, and then sweep her off her feet. She got shivers as she thought about how good it would to, um, make-up for this misunderstanding.

The determined woman made some calls to find out where Rob was staying. "Rob? This is Samia," she anxiously replied to his 'hello.'

"Yeah?" he answered.

She took a deep breath and asked, "Can we talk?"

"What?" He was already on the defensive.

"Can we meet somewhere?" she barely stammered out.

She heard a woman's laughter in the background. "Maybe it best that we talk on the phone," he replied icily. Samia figured then it was useless and that the laugh probably belonged to Adrienne.

"Rob, it was Adrienne, not me. She helped Benoit make you lose the belt and trash your room."

"Samia, I'm not stupid. You had on that same sweatshirt and I saw the ring I gave you," he replied, the anger rising in his voice.

"It was stolen from me," she said, continuing to plead her case. But then she added the wrong name. "Ask Shawn Michaels. He was there when I realized it was gone."

"He would say anything to suit himself," he huffed.

"Okay, forget Shawn. If I did it, then why would I have taken the time to cover my head with a hood. Benoit hit me over the head or Adrienne did—"

"Why did you answer the door when I specifically told you to keep it locked?"

"It was Adrienne. I thought I could trust her!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in exasperation.

"Tell me this—why would Adrienne want to do that?"

"My best guess is that she wanted you and I stood in the way," she answered.

"Get real, Samia," Rob snapped. "This is just jealousy. You're jealous that we're together now. You know, I was a little concerned about you when y'all got in a fight but Shawn was conveniently there to _save _you again. You can't have your cake and eat it too."

"Please, Rob, listen to me," she pleaded

"There's nothing left to say. You tore my heart to pieces when you and Benoit did what you did. You stomped all over what was left when I saw you curled up in Michaels' lap. I completely trusted you. I gave you the benefit of the doubt every time I caught you with them. The least you could have done was plot in secret."

"I didn't—"

Rob quickly cut her off. "No. Like I said, there's nothing left for you to say. I might have listened if you hadn't started accusing Adrienne. I do have something to say to you—if you have to keep on trying, leave Adrienne out of it."

"Rob—" He had already hung up. In frustration, she slammed the receiver into its cradle. The phone immediately rang, causing her to jump out of her skin. Hoping Rob had changed his mind, she quickly answered.

"Mia, hi! How's it going?"

"Oh, it's you," she dejectedly answered. "Don't ask."

"Don't ask what? 'How's it going' or 'you want to go out and have dinner?'" Shawn Michaels asked, a little bit of lasciviousness in his voice.

She sighed, "Both."

"Can I ask a favor then?"

"Shoot," she replied stoically.

"My contract's up and Vince just gave me my new one to look over. Since you're a lawyer and all, would you mind looking over it for me?" he asked with honey dripping from his tongue.

"I haven't worked specifically in the entertainment business. Most of my contract work was done for divorces and pre-nups. I was studying to be a criminal lawyer. Besides, I've not really practiced in a while," she replied, not really wanting to mess up his contract if she missed something.

"Doesn't matter. I've been real suspicious about McMahon and I want to make sure he's not pulling one over on me. Mind if I come over?"

"How about we look over it at dinner?" she sighed. The ex-valet was aching from loneliness, from the need to be touched again like a woman, and the suave Shawn was someone she didn't need to be alone with in her room.

"Even better. Pick you up in an hour?" he asked and she reluctantly agreed and began getting ready. Exactly an hour later, her phone rang again and she rushed to answer it, just hoping it might be Rob after considering her accusation against Adrienne.

"Ms. Carlsen?" the unfamiliar voice asked.

"Yes?"

"You have a visitor in the lobby. Shall I send Mr. Michaels up?"

"No. I'll be down in a moment. Thank you, sir," she replied with indifference in her voice. She glanced over her dress in the mirror and had to chide herself when butterflies began awakening in her stomach, betraying the coolness on the phone with the desk clerk.

Shawn met her at the elevator doors and offered her his arm. She had to pause for a moment because she was so taken aback by the sight in front of her. Shawn was dressed in khakis, a white polo, and a navy blue blazer. He had left his hair down and it fell in soft waves around his shoulders. _Wow! _was her only thought. He was already handsome in just jeans and a pony-tail but now he blew her away. She finally took his arm and he escorted her to his car of the week.

Once in the sleek, black Lamborghini, Shawn asked, "What had your feathers so ruffled when I called?"

"The usual."

"_Usually_ it's us but I know we didn't do anything _this_ time. So, it had to be Rob. What did he do now?" With permission, she now launched into an all-out explanation of the phone call.

"Think about this, Samia," Shawn said, tapping his temple. "If he doesn't care enough to listen to you, then you don't need him. If he's that insensitive, why should he matter to you?"

"Love doesn't care," she quietly replied and looked down at her hands.

"Love? Doesn't sound like much love on his end," he replied, taking his eyes off the road to glance at her.

"But we were doing so well. We were so happy…" she squeaked, slapping the backs of her hands against her thighs for emphasis.

"But now he doesn't seem to give a rip. He doesn't want to listen. You don't need someone like that," he responded, grabbing the trembling hand she brought to her mouth.

"Maybe you're right," she glanced out the window as the city lights whizzed by in a rainbow of colors.

"I changed my mind. Don't think about it right now. It bothers you too much," Shawn soothingly said, placing her hand back in her lap and patting it before grasping the wheel again with both hands. "Enjoy tonight since you don't go out enough anymore."

"I don't know if I can."

"I won't ask you to do it for me. Do it for yourself." He glanced back over at her and smiled. She smiled back and he reached over to pat her hand again. This time she was aware of his hand on hers and the butterflies quickly came back, each bringing a friend and starting a riot. This feeling would have terrified her if she hadn't justified it weeks ago by deciding all warm-blooded women would feel this way if given any attention by The Heartbreak Kid. Wasn't he given that name for a reason?

Shawn had chosen a ritzy restaurant befitting his stature. She tried to protest but he wouldn't have it. Once the drinks came, she asked to see his contract, getting down to business so she wouldn't have to answer any of Shawn's personal questions to her. To her surprise, he simply silently watched her peruse the document. She made little marks here and there for reference and frequently flipped back and forth between the pages. "Tell me again. Are you really still able to physically wrestle?" she asked.

"Do you want the truth or what I have my physician tell McMahon?" he asked with a goofy smile.

"Pick one and stick with it," she stoically replied.

"What my physician tells McMahon."

Without a word to his response, Samia underlined a few statements and drew a big asterisk. "Check this clause real close. I think this part should be redrawn. Look over some of the other things I marked but I don't think they're a problem. Your call. I don't even know why you asked me. You've been in this business forever and I've not been here six months."

"I always left this kind of stuff up to my lawyer," he replied with a shrug, adamantly refusing to admit that this was just a smokescreen to entice her to go out with him in his and Kevin's plan to lure her in.

"Where is he now?"

"I fired him a while back and just haven't gone looking for anyone else. Why should I when I've got you?" Shawn asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Free labor. Why not?"

He shook his head and replied, "You got a meal out of it."

"Oooh," Samia responded, wiggling her fingers at him, "I got paid more than that on the first day of my first job out of school."

"I'll make it up to you," he said in a sultry voice, putting a hand over hers.

"Don't worry about it." Samia removed her hand and waved him off. "You really have done a lot for me already and I don't mean that sarcastically. If I didn't have you pushing me, I'd be back home and really depressed."

"Anything for you, Angel." She smiled at his comment and shyly looked away, not really knowing how to respond.

Their food finally arrived and the conversation strayed away from wrestling—until they both heard a familiar laugh. They turned to see Eddie Guerrero across the room, cutting up with a beautiful Latino woman. Guerrero's eyes met Shawn's and he glared at him, mouthing a few words in Spanish. Shawn quickly turned back to their dinner, obviously angry at the words. "What did he say?" Samia prodded.

"Don't worry about it. He's just trying to be trouble."

"Cleans up pretty nice, doesn't he? He's almost good-looking," she commented, looking back over her shoulder at Eddie.

"Yeah, he'd be a real ladies' man if he wasn't so vile," Shawn replied, with a disgusted looked on his face.

"This from the horse's mouth too. So when did you learn Spanish?" she inquired.

"Long story," he answered, blushing.

"Shawn Michaels blushing? Let's hear it. It's got to be interesting." Shawn continually declined to explain himself. Eventually she gave up prodding him. After dinner, they returned to her hotel room with him walking her to the door, something she once again protested and he would have none of.

"Thanks for your help."

"No, thank _you_ for tonight. I've been so busy at work and trying to keep Rob out of my mind, I forgot how to just be," she sighed and leaned up against the door. At first, she was apprehensive about the dinnerdate but, now, she was grateful for the moment's escape, even if it _was _Shawn Michaels.

"You don't do this enough," he replied, stepping closer to close the gap that she had opened.

"I know. But I've lost everyone who once were my friends and it's no fun by yourself."

"But you've got us, Angel," he said and closed the gap even more.

"Maybe I do." She smiled and looked up at him.

"There's no maybe. Just trust me," he whispered and slowly leaned in to kiss her. She didn't try to turn away from him but met him halfway. He was so intoxicating she couldn't help herself when her hands found themselves around his neck and her lips wholeheartedly returning his kiss. They took their time in exploring each other's mouths, and, after what felt like a forever of breath-taking moments, he gently ended the kiss and pulled back to look into her eyes. She noticed for the first time that his eyes were green around the pupils and then faded into the crystal blue color that overshadowed the olive green.

"Why do you do this to me?" she whispered. His response was to lay her head against his chest. She slid her hands under his coat and around his back. For someone who didn't wrestle frequently, his chest and back muscles were phenomenal. She wanted to feel those muscles, fingertips on bare skin and not his shirt. She pushed the feeling down deep inside her and finally let go of him. After a brief moment of heavy silence, they quietly parted ways.

Despite the wave of euphoria, she settled into bed—one of the other place besides in the laundry room that she always did her best thinking. _Maybe Shawn's right, _she thought._ Why should I even try to make up with Rob when he doesn't even want to try and set things straight? He deserves Adrienne if that's the way he wants to be. I won't…I won't even try anymore. There. I said it. I no longer want Rob Van Dam! Maybe… Okay, I still want him but I just won't pursue him. If he wants me, he'll have to come to **me**. Alright, that taken care of, now what? _

Rob had been the reason she had stayed on after Benoit and Guerrero pulled their little stunt. Again, she pondered the thought of going home but decided, once again, she couldn't stop while in the middle of her dream, or what was sort of her dream. She hoped she could make things better and wondered if she could win her way back into the fans' hearts, which would take a while. However, there was always the nWo. She smiled and cuddled around the pillow, thinking of the kiss between her and Shawn. It couldn't get any worse—that was the truth. It was getting better every day. The ex-valet resolved to just keep going. _And maybe I won't turn Shawn down again next time, _she thoughtStill on a high, she drifted off for one of her best nights of sleep since her break-up. That persistent niggling thought that the nWo was up to something was temporarily pushed even farther into a back corner of her brain.

TBC…


	14. It Just Got Personal

_**Chapter XIV: It Just Got Personal**_

"Wait," Shawn Michaels stated to Triple H, putting a hand across his chest. "Let me go. _I_ want this. It's personal. If there's a problem, let loose. Hopefully, I'll see you when I get back." Hunter watched Shawn set his face and then take off down the ramp to interfere in Eddie Guerrero's and Booker T's match. He slid into the ring, pulling Guerrero down with him. He was back out of the ring before Nick Patrick saw him. It was the opportunity Booker T was looking for and he immediately had Guerrero rolled up for the pin. Shawn quickly made for the ramp but Benoit blindsided him from the side entrance. Benoit had Shawn beaten back down to the ring before Triple H was on him. Off the top-rope, Eddie frog-splashed Hunter down onto the hard floor surrounding the ring. The new Intercontinental champion dropped to his knee but opted not to go for the Spinarooni when he saw Guerrero rise from his risky move. Guerrero and Benoit double-teamed Shawn but not for long. Booker T catapulted over the ropes, taking out Benoit. The rest of the nWo finally arrived and the two men now turned tail and ran, with X-Pac taunting them.

After all that commotion, the nWo retired to their dressing room to prepare for the six-man tag match coming up. Booker's match was the second of the night while their tag match would be the fifth. Shawn and Nash plotted what they were going to do make the match interesting against Spike, Bubba Ray, and Undertaker. Such an odd combination they all agreed but Triple H, the Big Show, and X-Pac were hardly worried. The match commenced amidst chaos but then settled into a game of power and submission with a few trip-ups by Shawn and Kevin. In an unfair match-up, Hunter had Spike pinned. Instead of the nWo's music coming on, Guerrero was calling Shawn's name, his image on the big screen. Shawn chose to ignore him and began walking up the ramp.

"Don't walk away. I have something you might want to know about," Benoit announced. The camera pulled back to include him and Guerrero, and then another person came into focus. Samia was between the two, bound to a chair and gagged. Her clothes were rumpled and her hair was coming out of its braid. She looked like she was barely holding on to consciousness. "We've grown tired of your tawdry games. So we've chosen to end it all right here. Chris," Guerrero commanded in his thick accent, turning to look at him. An evil smile spread across Benoit's face. He raised a Singapore cane and brought it down across Samia's ribs. She tried to cry out in pain but the gag choked her. "If you don't leave us alone, this is only the icing on the cake of what we're gonna do to you _and_ her next time," Eddie stated to reinforce his point. Benoit dropped the cane and the both of them walked away laughing.

Shawn finally gained his mobility and quickly left his friends behind in his search for Samia. He first found Margaret Salley and quickly described the room to her to see if she recognized it. The arena was so large he was afraid he'd never find her. The older woman was quickly on her radio, asking questions. She discovered the cameraman had been found and forced to reveal the location by the Undertaker. By radio, he led them to find Samia. He had her out of the chair and lying on the floor, all the restraints off her. In his anger, Shawn shoved the Undertaker away as he was tying his bandanna around a cut on her arm.

"I'm just trying to help," Taker growled.

"Then go find the paramedics," Shawn yelled at him.

"They're on their way," he retorted. Nash and Hunter were beside Shawn with the Big Show and X-Pac on the lookout for the dastardly duo that committed this act. The Undertaker realized that his presence wasn't wanted by far and slipped from the chaotic room as the paramedics arrived. Shawn never let Samia out of his sight. He rode in the ambulance and stayed with her except for when the doctor and nurses _made_ him leave. He would then return to her side when permitted.

It wasn't long before Samia regained consciousness. She was thankful to awake to the sight of Shawn by her bed. The last she remembered was the Singapore cane whack Benoit took at her. She thought she recalled the Undertaker pulling her from the chair but assumed that it was just hopeful dreaming. "Hi, Angel. How you feeling?" he asked, rubbing a soft hand down her cheek but her reply was the mumbling of some ugly words at him. "Say that again?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Why is it that I seem to beg to be beaten?" she moaned. "Is it written on my forehead? Am I doomed to walk forever in wrestling with bruises?"

"I guess so, Mia. You've got bruised ribs but nothing else major. Just take that whole incident with Heyman and multiply it by three…or four…or more." She groaned, remembering the whole Lesnar-Heyman incident. RVD immediately popped into her head as that was the night that had first kissed. She angrily dismissed the thought, _Screw Rob, I don't even see him here._ "I take it that Benoit's shot to your ribs wasn't the only thing they did to you."

She shook her head and grimaced. "There are things best left unsaid."

Shawn's face turned red as he rose from the chair beside the bed. "They didn't?" he breathed, so livid he could barely speak, afraid that one or both of them had forced themselves on her.

"Hold your horses. No, it wasn't _that_ bad…I think," she breathed heavily and winced.

"They didn't, you know…" Shawn trailed off, unwilling to speak the crime, as if verbalizing the thought would make it real.

"No," she quickly replied, turning away from him, also not willing to entertain the thought.

"It du'n't matter," he responded through clenched teeth. "I will have their hides on my mantle."

"Just leave it be," Samia forcefully stated, putting a hand out as if to stop him. "I don't want to end up dead next time."

"If you stick with us, nothin', and I mean _nothin'_, will ever happen to you," Shawn said, reaching over to take her hand.

"This isn't worth it. I want this career more than anything but, just when one set of injuries heal, something happens and there's a fresh set to take their place. I don't want it if this is the way it's gonna be," she replied to his offer, sighing and rubbing her temple where a headache was beginning to develop.

"I promise you—"

"Promise what?" Nash whispered, coming in the door. "Hey, chick, you're awake," he added in his normal voice and she weakly smiled at him. "So wha'cha promising, Shawn?"

Shawn took her hand in his and looked deep in her eyes. "That if she'll just let us, we won't let anything else happen to her—no more Heyman, Terri, Adrienne, Benoit, Guerrero, or whoever dares defy the nWo."

"I don't think anyone has been attacked by so many people in so little time," Nash commented with a smirk.

"Thanks," she responded through clenched teeth from pain and anger.

"I don't mean it that way. I'm just stating why you should let us, uh, 'protect' you," Kevin replied, this time more serious.

"Guys, I don't know. All that's on my mind right now is some Tylenol and my bed," she quietly spoke.

"I'll see what I can do," Nash said, patting her on the arm and heading out the door. He returned within minutes with her doctor in tow and she was soon released.

The two of them carefully got her back to her hotel room late that morning. Shawn promised to see her in bed and then leave but she woke to find him curled up in a chair, too small for his body, with an extra blanket and pillow. At first she was angered at him but then was touched at his gesture. The woman watched him for a few minutes. His breathing was slow and deep and he seemed to have been asleep for some time. His usual sharp features were softened and he barely looked like the hardened wrestler that he was. She couldn't imagine the sleeping giant before her now was one of the most feared men in wrestling. He was hardly anything to be afraid at the moment. His dark blonde hair had fallen over one of his eyes and she longed to push the lock back out of the way.

Samia made a determined effort to quietly rise from the bed but the springs creaked, giving her away. Shawn woke with a start and was immediately at her side before she could stop him. He sat her back down on the bed, chastising her in the process.

"Just tape my ribs up. I can still wrestle," she grunted and then laughed at his worry.

Shawn glared at her and replied, "This is no laughin' matter."

She straightened her face and calmly looked back at him. "Alright, Hugh Morrus, I'm not some delicate flower. I can take some knocks and keep going. Yeah, I'm hurting really bad right now but that doesn't make me an invalid." He shook his head at her but didn't verbally respond. "Besides, I have to be at work tonight. What time is it?" Samia asked, looking around for a clock.

"Three in the afternoon."

"I don't think I'm gonna make it on time," she slowly replied, thinking about a good excuse to keep her from getting into trouble for being late.

"I _know_ you're not—not gonna make it _at all_. I called Margaret. You can take as much time as you need."

"But I want to go back," she insisted and tried to rise from the bed. "Oh, god," she loudly groaned as every muscle in her body protested. She lowered herself back down and looked up at Shawn with wide eyes. "Maybe I need a few days after all."

"You done now?" he asked, like a mother annoyed by her child's impertinence. "Lay back down." He grabbed the extra pillow and stuck it behind her. "I'm here whether you like it or not. Deal with it because I'm not leavin'." He folded his arms and stared down at her. "With that straight'ned out, do you want me to go get you somethin' to eat? You name it. What do you want?"

"Some painkillers and a shower. The latter I can do by myself," she quickly added with a cheeky grin. Shawn couldn't keep the smile off his face as hurriedly found her pills and then helped her into the shower as much as she would let him. He left her in bathroom to run out to grab them a bite to eat and returned to find her in the chair he had occupied, wrapped up in a terry bathrobe and looking over her appointment book. She had some papers and pictures fanned out across the table. When she heard Shawn come in, she gathered up the papers before he saw them and stuffed them in a file on the table.

"I hope you don't mind Burger King," he stated, setting the brown paper bag down on the table and making the smell of fresh hamburgers waft from the bag. "It can't be any worse than that pen you're chewing on."

She kind of looked shocked when he made the statement about the pen. "Bad habit," she replied, jerking it out of her mouth as he sat down in the other chair across the little table from her. "The pay-per-view is this coming weekend. They really need me," she said, tapping the appointment book with her pen. "But…but…I want to go home, Shawn." Her face screwed up, threatening tears. "I need to go back to Atlanta. Just for a week or so."

A couple of pictures peeked out from the corner of the manila folder and he casually tugged at them while she stared at her schedule. One was of her and RVD in formal dress standing in a theatre foyer. He didn't recognize the couple in the second picture but he knew the young girl sandwiched between the two had to be Samia. He deduced that the beautiful dark-haired, dark-skinned woman dressed in a red evening gown was Samia's Arabian mother and the tall, red-headed gentleman in a tuxedo was her father. The three were standing in front of the FOX theatre, playbills in hand, and wide grins on their faces. He had a guess as to what was wrong. "Samia, are you okay? Do you need to talk?"

She took a deep breath and wiped away a tear. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just want to go home. A weekend here and there isn't gonna do it. Just a week, maybe."

"I'm glad you suggested it because Kevin's takin' you back tomorrow when he goes home for a couple of days of vacation. It's not like y'all don't live less than thirty minutes apart," HBK said as if it was nothing.

"Shawn! I can't believe you," she replied indignantly. "I'm not some helpless girl that can't do things for herself."

"I'm not saying you are. Look, I just want to help."

She fell silent for a moment. "Fine, I'll go with Kevin."

"Good. Now eat your hamburger before it gets any colder," Shawn said, digging into the paper bag where the top had begun to unfold on its own.

"There you go again, telling me what to do. You're lucky I was gonna do it anyhow," she replied, smiling and digging into her food like she hadn't eaten in weeks.

"Good to see you still have your appetite." He took a couple bites of his hamburger but then curiosity got the best of him. "I've been wondering something. If your mother is Middle Eastern, how did you end up lily white with blonde and red hair?"

"Something I've always wondered too. My grandfather met my grandmother while stationed in Saudi Arabia. He was as Irish as Irish gets. She was a dark goddess. You should have seen her. My mother looked just like her. They came back to the U. S. and she met my dad who was an Irish-American. He had this flaming red hair that Mom always made fun of him for…Anyway, I must take after my dad and grandfather. I can't believe I have that much Arabian in me and nothing to show for it."

"Interesting."

"Yeah, I really miss them. After the car wreck, everybody said it would get easier but it doesn't seem too," she softly said, feeling like she was on the verge of tears again. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Sure…Oh, I stopped by the front desk and you had a message," he said, digging into his pocket and producing a memo. She took it from him to read. The woman smiled, folded the paper, and tucked it in her briefcase. "What was that all about?" he asked around a mouthful of burger.

"Just a call from a friend at work checking on me." She didn't dare admit that the note read, "Just stopped in to check on you. –Mark." She couldn't believe the Undertaker even cared enough to come by. _It's not like we have any connection other than a few comments here and there,_ she thought to herself but nonetheless was still delighted at his concern.

"Really? Who?" Shawn asked between bites.

"Maybe it's from my secret admirer. Would that bother you?" she answered slyly.

"Maybe," he replied, shrugging his shoulders and popping a fry into his mouth.

"Maybe?"

"Yeah, maybe." Samia smiled to herself at the thought of Shawn being concerned about a secret admirer.

TBC…


	15. Exacting Revenge

**Author's Notes**: For disclaimer, warnings, list of characters, etc., please see chapter one.

_**Chapter XV: Exacting Revenge**_

Kevin insisted on seeing Samia into her apartment and settled before he left. He had been nothing but a dear during the trip. She still couldn't get over how he and Shawn were treating her despite their reputations. When Kevin ducked his head under her doorway to leave, the woman had to shake herself out of the surreal moment of Kevin Nash being in her living room. Her calendar even sported a couple of lunch dates with the massive wrestler. She rubbed her eyes and then her nose but his cologne was still there—this was real. Despite the fact that she couldn't even fathom why they cared enough to bring her home, she was still dropped off at her apartment by the infamous Nash. If she could just figure out what was going on, maybe she would feel much better about trusting them.

Shawn called briefly every night to check on her and Ms. Salley called later on in the week to wish her well. She wanted to be there to help out because she knew she was needed but she was too busy reveling in being home. Several of her friends called on her Thursday night and stayed to watch SmackDown! Of course, they had to offer their comments on last week's RAW. It was all the same from each of them—join the nWo and get revenge on her assailants. It seemed the whole issue with Rob had passed in the spectators' concern, or at least from what she gathered from her friends.

The Undertaker still held the Undisputed Title, therefore, setting him to be on SmackDown! Before Taker's match, the announcers made a point to replay the whole incident with Benoit, Guerrero, and the nWo, which she couldn't figure out why. The whole room flinched, including herself, when they saw the damage done to her from the fans' point of view.

"Damn, girl! How did you take that?" Jamie, one of her friends studying to be a pharmacist, exclaimed.

"I really didn't have a choice. I think I passed out right after that. I remember it cracking across my ribs but I don't remember anything else…" she trailed off as the cameras cut back and forth between Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker working to find her. She never once remembered the Undertaker being there—at all. The note he left for her at the hotel and the black and red bandanna she found in her things at the hospital began to make sense. She had been completely baffled by the bandanna but chalked it up to not remembering much about that night. That begged the question of why Shawn or Kevin had not said anything about the Undertaker's involvement in her rescue. Now, on top of what the nWo was up to, she had to wonder why the Undertaker was interested in her.

"Something wrong?" Kerri quietly asked.

"No, it just makes it hurt all over again. Wanna see the bruises?" she asked, pulling up the edge of shirt. That went over real well with the guys, who seemed to thrive on injuries, and easily changed the subject. By the time the evening was over, the guys had shown everybody every scar they had on their bodies and told every story that went with them.

Samia finally saw them out the door late that night and then settled herself in a hot bath to relieve some of the pain the long day had inflicted. The images of RAW played through her mind over and over. She dismissed the concern of no one telling her about the Undertaker but the mental anguish that came with "seeing" the physical pain raged, calling to mind the beating she had taken from them before Guerrero cared to call Shawn's attention to the situation. She was finally angry over it all. At the hospital, she was just upset over being hurt but then numbness set in. However, the emotion changed after seeing SmackDown! Her cheeks now burned with fury.

_If I walk away now, I walk away defeated, _she thought._ Defeated—that's the way this whole fiasco into wrestling can be characterized. I've never let myself be defeated. I may have lost but I've never been defeated. But if I go back, I set myself up for another attack by Benoit and Guerrero or anyone for that matter who has a bone to pick with the nWo, especially Shawn. Shawn. Can I walk out on him too? For my health's sake, maybe. If…if I come back with the nWo, they'll take care of me. I would be their equal, not their 'employee.' Working side by side with them, they would be my protection. It's not enough to just defeat you but they have to burn down everything around you. I would have their loyalty and they could personally see that anyone who ever said or dared to say a word to me would be taken out. _ She evilly smiled as she mused to herself about what could happen and then sank lower into the now lukewarm bath.

* * *

Sunday night, Samia found herself at Nash's house for dinner and the No Way Out pay-per-view. He was actually cooking for her, making her wonder if this was more incentive for some plan that she hadn't figured out yet. Over the meal, Kevin explained that the rest of the nWo was showing up at No Way Out only because Triple H was on the card. They had every intention of lying low before claiming revenge on the two who had chosen to tango with the most feared faction ever. She inquired as to their plans in the mean time but he only responded that they weren't sure because they wanted to take their time to make it really good. 

True to Kevin's word, the nWo quietly showed for Hunter's victorious match and exited unceremoniously. By the time Guerrero and Benoit made it to the arena and out to the ring, the nWo was as good as Elvis and the duo never knew they had already left the building. The two had made a tremendous effort letting everyone know that they had arrived. Samia caught sight of RVD and Adrienne Bradley being a little too cozy for her liking as Benoit and Guerrero passed by but she quickly squelched those feelings of jealousy. The two wrestlers came out to the ring and Guerrero immediately took up a mike. He gloated about their ability to make the nWo turn tail and run. He stated that they were better than all five members and the rest of WWE and how everyone in the business should now show them the respect they deserve and bow down to their every whim. Nash muttered something about them digging themselves deeper.

"Kevin, when are you going back?" Samia inquired, picking up her purse to get ready to leave.

"Since we're in Montgomery tomorrow night, I thought I'd drive out sometime in the afternoon."

"I wanna go back," she bluntly stated, straightening up from where she gathered her jacket off the armchair.

"I don't think you're physically capable. Besides, I don't know how safe you'll be from those idiots backstage," Nash said, trying to deter her. The point was to convince her that she needed their protection.

"I don't want to go back as a go-fer. I want to go back as a member of the nWo." If someone had told her a year ago she would be sitting in the living room of one of her favorite wrestlers, she would have laughed herself dead. She realized how far she had come in what was once just a hobby while sitting there on Kevin's couch and talking with him. She wasn't going to walk out now when she could go even farther. Seeing RVD and Adrienne rekindled her desire for revenge. When it came to those two, it was no longer about love but about dignity, honor, and standing up for herself. As for the other two—Benoit and Guerrero—it was blinding rage that drove her.

"I'm sorry. Did I hear you right? One of us?" He paused and she nodded. "Just like that?"

"Yeah, just like that." She snapped her fingers to emphasize her words.

Kevin seemed baffled and the woman wondered what exactly about. "Well, sure. I…yeah." Lately, Nash figured it would be harder to draw her in. He definitely didn't think it would be that easy. "Don't leave yet. Let me call Shawn." Samia nodded and dropped her purse and jacket back on the couch as Nash dialed Shawn's cell phone. "Hey…yeah…sit down…don't ask what for, just do it…guess who's in…I'm not kidding…no, really…no, tomorrow…she's really adamant about it…yeah, we'll meet you then…see ya." Kevin replaced the receiver. "Looks like we're leaving in the morning," he said, smiling. "I'll pick you up. Cool beans?"

"Sure. See you then," she answered, a little disappointed that Shawn didn't ask to talk to her.

"Shawn said to call him when you get home, let him know you got there safe," Kevin added, picking up her things and handing them to her.

"Oh, okay," she replied, a slight smile creeping up.

* * *

Samia tugged at the short black leather jacket that showed off her rear too much for her liking. At least the black leather pants weren't _that_ tight because she could still move in them. However, her ankle was itching again. She reached down underneath the pants to unzip her boot and ferociously scratched the itch. She tugged at the simple white tank underneath the leather jacket and then pushed her loose hair behind her ear again. A last glance in the mirror made her blush. _If my mother could see me, _the woman thought, _she'd be turning over in her grave and my dad would be coming out of his with a hick'ry switch!_ Shawn had taken her shopping for her new look with the nWo and she couldn't believe she let him talk her into this outfit but he was so persistent. This awful feeling stuck with her that she would be wearing clothes like this from here on out. 

She hadn't much listened to Shawn running his mouth in the ring about nothing much until the subject of his monologue changed. "Without further adieu, I present to you the newest member of the nWo," Shawn belted out, "Mia!" Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible" blared from the loudspeakers—another of Shawn's ideas.

Samia threw her head back and strutted out from behind the black curtain. The thought of sweet revenge was the only way she was able to summon the courage to act like the women of wrestling that presented themselves as high-priced whores. Her first thought was a prayer that she wouldn't trip up in the high-heeled boots but the next thought was the awe she had because the arena was cheering for _her_. She used the wide stage as a cat walk before heading down the ramp.

Triple H jumped down out the ring and lifted her to the ring apron. Nash was there, down on one knee. She used his thigh to raise herself high enough to sit on his shoulder and then slide over the top rope into the ring. The intention was for this to be the way she would enter the ring every time she was part of the focus of the promo or whatnot. She had thought it too much but Hunter's idea was not going to be shot down and it stuck at Shawn's insistence. However, she flat-out refused to address the fans. Macho Man Randy Savage's Miss Liz came to mind as she readied for her debut. Miss Liz was fairly quiet and very sophisticated during her stint with the nWo in WCW. Samia tried to model herself after her commanding but _quiet _presence in the ring but she had every intention of being a very active she-devil outside of the ringed square.

Nash took the microphone as Shawn came over to use Samia's head as a prop for his arms. She tried to push his arms off her but he didn't budge. She glared at him out the corner of her eye and backed into him but Shawn simply tweaked her ear and stepped aside. Nash was now extolling her status as an nWo member and commanding respect for her based on her position. She was listening intently when she felt arms on her head again. She just knew it was Shawn and was about to light into him. This time Triple H was being the troublemaker. She smiled and pushed him away. She turned back to hear Nash but Hunter used her shoulder as an elbow prop. She reached up and pinched him on the underside of his upper arm but he found an unprotected spot on her side and pinched back. She came back after him but he smacked her hand away. She couldn't help but laugh and, by the time Nash was done, he had to break up a full-fledged smacking-pinching fight.

Shawn retrieved the mike and pointed at Triple H and Samia. She knew she was in more trouble than she could get out of but they both were about on the verge of tears trying to hold back the laughter. "Benoit, Guerrero, you are nothing but child's play to us and we laugh at you. But if you want to play the pinching game, we'll pinch back. Just when you think you've got us, we'll put you on your knees and you'll be begging for mercy." Shawn tossed the mike aside and the nWo made their exit. At least this time, she went through the ropes and slid off the ring apron with the Big Show's help.

Samia wanted nothing more than to get back to her room and crash. She was hurting pretty badly from last week's beating but there was no way she would let anyone outside of the nWo see that. As the entourage headed through the main hallway of the arena, Benoit and Guerrero appeared from nowhere and the faction made a barricade across the corridor. Feeling extremely secure, Samia pushed through the massive men to the front of the group, putting a hand on Shawn's arm to stop the taunt that was forthcoming.

"Evening, gentlemen," she addressed them and they nodded. "I hope you enjoyed yourself last week. But, to echo the words of Jeff Hardy, I'm still standing." She glanced around at the men who surrounded her. "I do believe I will _remain_ standing. I'm not scared of either of you. I think I speak for everyone here when I say that you had better watch it and we'll take great delight in annoying the hell out of you."

Benoit stepped forward, stopping within mere inches of her. Kevin and Shawn immediately came even with her and crossed their arms over their chests. She put an arm out to the side, letting them know she wanted to hear Chris' piece, who hadn't flinched at the intimidation. "_Mia_, don't waste your breath. You had better not ever turn your back without your _bodyguards,_" Benoit growled and they both turned on their heels and casually strolled off. Samia snorted, hoping that Benoit was only calling their bluff.

* * *

With nothing but time on her hands, Samia slowly returned to the gym with Shawn personally seeing her into a ring to continue what RVD started. She didn't ask to be trained to wrestle but only wanted to be able to defend herself when needed. However, she caught the bug—or that's what Nash wanted her to think. There was something to be said for working with your hands…and being able to pound others. Her parents had raised her to seek reconciliation and promote peace. Despite the occasional want to put a hurting on someone, she had never hit someone until the night she had punched Terri. One of her friends predicted that she'd blow one day if she didn't find an outlet. Apparently, the actual act of wrestling was a much better outlet than just watching. 

At the arenas, the nWo caused little trouble outside of their matches. They concentrated all their efforts on simply stalking Benoit and Guerrero. With each of the duo's matches, an nWo member stood on the entrance ramp and casually watched. Upon the two's entrance and exit, another member made an effort to step from the shadows and show his ever-watchful presence. It was more than obvious that it was driving the two crazy. Benoit and Guerrero thought it was worse than just attempting to beat the daylights out of them in the ring.

On the other hand, Samia quietly watched as she accompanied them to each event until a bright idea for revenge landed unceremoniously on her head. With a few modifications from the group, the nWo was rip-roaring and raring to go. Even X-Pac was excited to be involved in this plan—although he would never explicitly state that. Evening came of the planned fiasco and Shawn found Adrienne Bradley in the bar. He made a quick call to Nash before casually settling on the stool beside her.

Shortly before that, the desk clerk was stupid enough to believe that Samia was Adrienne and gave her a key to Adrienne's room since she had "lost the first one." Nothing would have worked if she and Van Dam had shared rooms. Ostensibly, there was trouble in paradise or Rob never allowed her as close as he had Samia. She had to force those feelings of hope away—that Adrienne was not what he thought and that Samia was still the one he loved but just didn't know how to tell her. However, it made little sense and, besides, he owed her for the way he had treated her. She may not be attached to anyone romantically but Rob had messed up and she wasn't backing out of the plan.

With everything in motion now, X-Pac, who was on "stake-out" outside of RVD's room, called in with Nash to let him know that Van Dam had not left his room since coming in that evening. In Adrienne's room, Samia arranged the flowers on a table in the corner to carefully hide the tiny camcorder. She flipped the television on and found an episode of _Friends_ that had just come on—when was it never on?—and settled down to wait for Nash. By the time the time Ross and Rachel had reconciled again, Nash knocked on the door and Samia was helping drag in an unconscious Benoit.

"How did you do it?" she breathlessly queried.

"Don't ask," he answered, rolling his eyes. "Just help me get him in the bed." They made quick work—if that's what could be called what felt like working with a dead body—and put in a call to Shawn. Shawn glanced at his cell to see Nash's number on the caller ID and smiled—he had almost completed his mission. Adrienne had been wary of him when he had taken a seat beside her, but, in minutes, she never knew what had hit her. Shawn worked his magic and had her falling all over him—_and_ drunk. He didn't take Nash's call but escorted Adrienne up to her room.

After signaling Shawn, Samia hit the record button on the camcorder and she and Nash bolted. The Big Show held open up his room door that was across the hall and three doors down from Adrienne's. They scrambled in as Shawn and Adrienne came off the elevator and he literally carried her into the room. Nash called Triple H to give him the cue to deliver the message. Hunter slid a note under RVD's door, knocked loudly, and hurried for the elevator. Shawn settled a now passed-out Adrienne into bed beside a still unconscious Benoit. He was able to divest her of her blouse and skirt in no time—after all, that was what he was famous for.

At the same time, Van Dam opened his door and glanced out. As he was about to go back in, he noticed the note on the floor. He picked it up, wondering what fan found his room this time, but it was a note from Adrienne asking that he come up _now_. _Maybe she's gonna apologize for being an idiot, _Rob thought to himself._ Doubt it, probably got herself drunk after I left her in the bar. _He was tired of her hanging on to him like a leech and told her so, more bluntly than she wanted to hear. They had a row and Rob stalked off to his room, leaving a brooding Adrienne to be picked up by Michaels. The fight had been the tip-off to put the plan in action.

Shawn quickly split after tossing the woman's clothes aside and made it into the room as X-Pac called to let them know that RVD was on his way up. Within seconds, Triple H banged on Show's door and was hurried in. They cracked the door to be able to barely peek out and not be seen. Camcorder or not, nobody wanted to miss this. Samia lay down on the floor and Shawn sat down beside her. Hunter pulled up a chair and Nash leaned across him. The Big Show declined a view and had to go in the bathroom until he could contain his laughter at the heads lined up to catch the drama that was about to unfold.

Van Dam knocked at Adrienne's door that Shawn had purposely left cracked open. There was no answer, so he pushed the door the rest of the way open and took a step inside. "Adrienne? You okay?" he called out but there was only silence. "What do you want?" Still no answer. He walked on in and disappeared from their sight. Just as quick as he had gone in, he came right back out—this time with another person on his heels, wrapped in a sheet.

"Rob! Wait, please wait! I can explain," she pleaded, and then a little quieter, "I think." She stumbled from the alcohol and grabbed hold of the door.

Rob whipped around, fire in his eyes. "Why should I? Obviously, there's not much to explain. Let me guess, the nWo did it?"

"How did you know?" she asked innocently, believing him to be sincere.

"Puh-lease. Give me a break." He face wrinkled up in disgust.

"No, really, Shawn Michaels got me drunk and…" She put her hand to head, closing her eyes and trying to remember, but she was quickly cut off. "Was that Chris Benoit in there?"

"Shawn Michaels, Shawn Michaels, I am sick of his name. First, Samia," he took a big breath, "and now you."

"But…but…" Her alleged lover, still in her bed, was forgotten at this point.

"You just go on back inside, finish what you started, and tell Benoit that I'll get him if there's anything left after the nWo's done with him."

"But…but…" Adrienne continued to stutter but Rob walked off in the middle of her protest. He never noticed four pairs of blinking eyes right before the door quietly clicked shut. When he was safely out of sight, the door creaked up again for them to see Benoit appear where a shocked Adrienne still stood.

"What just happened?" he asked, rubbing his head. Adrienne pushed him out into the hall and slammed the door shut, leaving him out there in nothing but his paisley boxers. "Hey! Let me back in! Give me my clothes!" He banged on the door but she didn't answer. It was too much for the foursome as they busted out laughing causing Benoit to catch sight of them before the door slammed shut again.

"Let's go out for drinks to celebrate!" she sang out, passing out high fives as pounding began on the other side of the door.

"Are you sure about that?" Kevin asked, raising his eyebrows, ignoring Benoit's shouts at them.

"Let's go," was her glaring reply. "Well, let's go after the concierge gets rid of him." She hooked her thumb towards the door and picked up the phone to call the hotel desk and report a disturbance.

Samia didn't get drunk this time since she had a mission the next morning and because Helmsley didn't need any more ammo to tease her about. She couldn't say the same for some of the other guys.

As soon as Adrienne left the next morning, Samia was in her room before housekeeping and the camcorder was still there. The VCR had never been hotter as she and those sober enough gathered around the television. The footage was beautiful. Everything that they wanted to get was there. The camera angle couldn't have been better. "Want to see a trick?" she asked aloud. "Kevin, get me the VCR out of your room." With a little jimmying, he detached the VCR from its place and brought it to her. "Let's make magic happen."

She wasn't about to wait to ask one of the WWE crew to let her piece the tape together, she wanted it now. The guys knew exactly what she was doing and joined in, helping her copy the choice bits of the tape. "I have some gift wrapping to do. I'll meet you guys in the lobby before we leave for the airport. Okay?" She didn't wait for an answer before she was on her way to have the tape boxed and wrapped. A little card with purple flowers was attached that Samia thoroughly enjoyed writing—"Just know that this isn't the original tape. Imagine what we could do with it. Revenge is a dish best served cold...Stay out of the way. Sincerely, you know who." Samia wished she could be there when Adrienne picked up the package at the front desk in New York.

TBC…

**

* * *

Author's Notes:** Once again, I must give props to my readers and to my reviewers: AnimeWitch02, Shadow, EdGeHeAdV1, LeelooJinn, Alisha, dragonmage5, FunkyinFishnet, pixygirl101, Latisha C, and Kora Flair. 


	16. Hidden Agenda

_**Chapter XVI: Hidden Agenda**_

After quite a few weeks of wallowing in nWo hell and last week's stunt on Benoit and Adrienne, Guerrero and Benoit seemed to have had enough. With a last-ditch plan, Eddie finally called the nWo out. Due to a bicep injury, Benoit quietly stood by, gritting his teeth in frustration from not being able to gets his hands on them personally. "I will take any one of you. I don't care who. Everyone else is barred from ringside. No run-ins. When the match ends here, it all ends here," Guerrero growled in his thick accent and pointed down at the mat under him. He knew when he was outnumbered but he wasn't afraid of any one of them alone. "Deal?" he asked, ready for this to be over with. Eddie lived for wrestling, lived on the edge, but the nWo wasn't worth having to look over his shoulder every second he was on the road.

At Guerrero's question, the six of them drew in for a huddle. "Everybody up for it?" Nash asked. Each of the guys nodded his head. "Okay, here's the plan. We'll let him pick which one of us but _we_ get to pick the match. That way it's still on our terms. X-Pac," Kevin looked over at him, "he'll probably want you. Are you still in?" The shorter man nodded in agreement.

"Wait, don't break. Let's freak him out," Shawn said, stopping them before they began to step away. He glanced at Eddie but quickly stuck his head back in. Samia then turned around to look at Guerrero, smiled, and waved before rejoining the huddle. "Alright, we ain't got all day," Michaels stated with a grin and the group fanned out.

Nash stepped forward. "It's a deal. Except that _you_ pick which nWo member you want but _we_ pick the type of match."

"I'll take it," Eddie replied after glancing over at Benoit for his agreement.

"We'll have our counsel draw up a legal, binding agreement." While Nash spoke, Triple H nudged Samia and she pushed back. The two of them always found a way to pick at each other, especially at the worst times. "And it's done."

"You bring me the agreement. I'll have _my_ legal counsel look over it and I'll choose next week. Then you can pick your match for the week after that," Guerrero replied.

Nash looked around at his men for confirmation and responded, "See you next Monday."

When they returned to the lockerroom, Samia quickly pulled out her laptop and began pounding away with Nash at her side making suggestions. She made quick work of the simple document and set out with Triple H as her "bodyguard" to find a printer. With their influence, it was easily done. As the team made their exit for the night, Nash handed the papers over to Guerrero without a word but accompanied by a smirk. "Good luck," she sarcastically whispered to him as they drifted on out the arena.

This was why she was with them. When Kevin had said they would have their legal counsel draw something up, she had hoped he meant her. Drawing up the agreement was just the beginning of her satisfaction. Seeing it handed over was even better. What she couldn't wait for was X-Pac thrashing him and the whole situation being put behind her. What they were using her for didn't matter at the moment as she was using them the same. The woman gave little regard for what would happen after the score was settled.

* * *

"The papers are all signed, Eddie. Who's it gonna be?" Shawn taunted. Samia was perched on the top turnbuckle to stay out of the way and to keep a good view of the battlefield. She was going to relish every moment of this. 

"I have one question first," Guerrero replied.

"Shoot," Shawn responded as if he was asking about the weather.

"Is Mia a _member_ of the nWo or is she just around to be annoying?" Eddie drawled.

"Well…yeah…She's one of us…" Shawn trailed off as the realization hit them all at one time. "No, no, I don't think so." After her initial elation at being called a member, Samia quickly jumped down from the turnbuckle in shock over what she knew was about to unfold.

Guerrero unfolded the document and held it out towards them. "It says _any_ member," he stated. In response, Nash propelled her forward to examine the document but she didn't have to look. She knew exactly what she had written. Her knees were so weak that she barely made it the few steps back to tell them that there was nothing she could do. "I choose Samia Carlsen," Guerrero said, pointing at her. The arena erupted but Samia had no clue if it was in support of her or Guerrero. When the crowd noise died down, he spoke again. "What will it be?" he asked with a harsh laugh. "Ladder Match, Cage Match, Lights Out Texas Death Match? Pick it."

Shawn protectively stepped in front of her and flatly stated, "We'll tell you later tonight." With that, Shawn threw the mike at Guerrero's feet and the nWo made a hasty retreat.

Back in the nWo dressing room, Samia was about to have a conniption fit. "How could I have been so stupid? I can't do this! I don't know what I'm gonna do!" she practically shouted as she paced and wrung her hands. X-Pac parked it in the corner of the room and tried his best to stifle a laugh as he watched her try to keep her sanity.

Nash put a hand on Shawn's chest to stop him from going into the lockerroom. "So far so good. Go in there and talk her into it."

"I still think we should have discussed it with her first. You know, ran it by her and got her opinion."

"She'd never have agreed," Nash replied.

"You don't know that."

"I know enough," Kevin countered. "Are you going soft on me? Did you sleep with her and not tell me?

"No," Shawn replied, completely taken aback. "No to both of those questions."

"It'll work," Nash said, looking down at HBK. "Now, go."

Shawn walked straight up to Samia and sternly said, "Sit down." She was so surprised at his demeanor that she could do nothing _but_ sit. "Do you trust us?"

Samia looked around the room at the guys. "Yeah, of course."

"We have an idea. Listen…"

Later that evening, word was sent to Guerrero that next Monday's match would be a Singapore cane match.

* * *

"Oh, god, that hurts! Man, I think I'm gonna die!" Samia yelled, flattening herself on the floor to try to quell the pain. She was quickly surrounded by most of the nWo. 

"What did you do?" Shawn asked, trying to help her up.

"Leave me here. I moved the wrong way or something because the nerve in my shoulder is killing me." Shawn waved the rest of them away to give her room. She lay there for a moment and then finally asked for his help. He pulled her up onto the couch and began massaging the shoulder she was attempting to reach.

"Maybe you shouldn't do this," Shawn whispered but not out of Nash's hearing range.

"No choice," she flatly replied, listing in the other direction so Shawn could massage more of her back.

"We could do it next Monday," he continued to try to persuade her.

"I'll do it tonight. Besides, all I did was twist the wrong way. Haven't you ever pinched a nerve in your neck or shoulder?" She wasn't going to give up now but her anxiety was lessened as she thought about the way Shawn had been treating her since joining up with them and how he was treating her now. He hadn't acted much different from before she asked to come back with them. She wasn't stupid enough to believe that he was that interested in her before the dinner after which they had kissed but he was still treating her like a queen.

"I don't know…" he began again, ignoring her question.

Nash tugged Shawn's pony-tail and settled down beside Samia. "Look, if you can't do it, you can't do it. We can't mess this up. It's too big of an opportunity."

She looked at the two of them in thought. Apparently, this was more serious to them than she had considered. "Somebody tape me up," she smirked to hide her anxiety. "I'm going in."

By the time Samia pulled the long-sleeve T-shirt over her head and then pulled the fingerless leather gloves onto her hands, the pain that had shot through her was gone and it was time to go. If only her nerves had lessened the same. Her stomach was twisting in knots at the thought of what Guerrero could do to her and what he would do if she lost. Losing was not an option—Shawn had drilled it into her head, telling her over and over she was more than capable of doing this.

Guerrero was already in the ring, wielding his Singapore cane as if to scare her. When the nWo's music sounded, she took a deep breath and flexed her fingers around the two canes before walking out from behind the curtain. With a determined face, she went straight for the ring to stay focused. If she stopped to think about it now, she might back out. The woman handed off one of the canes to a ring attendant and whispered to her, "When I call for this, you better bust your ass getting it to me." The girl nodded and Samia proceeded to climb into the ring. Guerrero started on a harangue about her having a second cane.

"I never said how many you could have. Are you that scared of me?" she taunted.

At that comment, Guerrero just smiled. "Bring it on, chica."

The bell rang and the two began circling each other. Samia refused to strike first. She was much better on the defensive. Eddie swung level at her shoulders but she ducked and came back up with a whack on his back. He dropped down on one knee and swung at her calves. A connection was made and her legs crumpled. She had chosen work-out pants to save her skin from as much damage as possible but that didn't stop the sheer force of the cane to flesh. Guerrero came down at her chest but she brought her cane up for a counter. She was immediately on her feet as Guerrero came back for another swing. She continued to counter his swings. Guerrero was losing his focus out of frustration. With a full-blown baseball swing, he knocked the cane from her hands, her arms beginning to tremble from having to stave off his strong swings. He got a crack to her back as she went scrambling for the cane. She half fell out of the ring trying to get out so she could regain her composure. He yelled at her to get back in the ring and called her a coward. She gritted her teeth, yelled for the ring attendant, and rushed the ring, wielding her two canes like swords.

"I bet you didn't know that I was on the rifle team," she yelled at him above the whirling of the Singapore canes. "Or that I played softball and tennis." She swung at him fast enough for the canes to whistle through the air. "Or that I can just flat-out kick ass with a cane." It had been perfect revenge. No one but Shawn, with his uncanny knack of getting information out of people, had known she had wielded a rifle on the drill team of the marching band in high school and college and that she had often played ball (she was a much better batter than she was fielder) and tennis (she had a vicious backhand). The information had been passed on to Nash somewhere in the process. The canes were lighter than her usual items that she twirled or swung but this was the only gimmick that they knew would give her any hope of being successful. She had no clue that this was Shawn's and Nash's plans all along.

For a moment, Guerrero backed off but then launched a full scale assault. She countered with one cane and struck with the other. It wasn't so much her strength that beat him back but her repetitive attacks. She was surprised he didn't try to retreat. When she thought she had him, she dropped her canes, climbed the roped and came off for a bulldog. She quickly dropped down for the pin but Guerrero kicked out. She rolled off and reached for her canes to begin to give him a beating that probably went too far. When her arms ached so bad she could barely hold the Singapore canes, she dropped down again for the three count. Taking up her canes again just in case, she crawled into the corner to prop herself up against the turnbuckle.

The nWo swarmed the ring and pushed Guerrero on out as Benoit appeared to help him. Shawn immediately pulled Samia up to her feet and embraced her, capturing her lips in a kiss. It was so quick she didn't have time to enjoy it but she finally realized that she had just won. Before Samia knew it, they had her on Nash's shoulders, parading her around the ring. Her head probably wouldn't fit through the door from her inflated ego. Not only had she accomplished her latest goal, but she had physically beaten a man that she shouldn't have. It had felt so good to whack him over and over again with the cane as she vividly remembered what it had felt like the night he and Benoit had tied her down only to get back at Shawn. Even though she could hardly believe it, the imbroglio was over and it felt good.

Samia was still stunned by the match and Shawn's public kiss when they returned to the dressing room. Congratulations were accepted and she stumbled into the shower, dying to get Guerrero's sweat and blood off her body. They were already making plans to celebrate but she only wished she could enjoy her victory, her exhaustion heavily weighing her down. Hunter promised to leave her alone about tequila if she would go and Shawn promised to protect her from Hunter because he wasn't the greatest at keeping a promise. Finally, the group agreed to head on out and Samia was grateful. After Samia's trip to the medics for ointment for the welts and the small cuts from the cane, they arrived back at the hotel and the woman slipped into her bed for a dreamless sleep.

A dreamless sleep seemed to characterize the rest of her week and most of the next week. She quietly stayed by herself in an attempt to physically and mentally regroup, letting the numerous welts and bruises heal, and to not to have to face Shawn by herself. Their meeting was inevitable and Friday evening found Shawn banging on her door.

"Open up! I've got something you have to see!" he called from the other side of the door. He was so insistent she finally opened it. "Check this out!" He was waving a magazine in her face. "It's the latest edition. It's not out on stands until Monday. Look!" He flipped the magazine open to show her an article. On one page was a poster of her on the night of her nWo debut. She remembered posing for the picture but not considering it ending up in a WWE magazine. _At least the cameraman got the side with the least amount of bruises, _she thought, remembering the attack that had pushed her to take them up on their offer The photograph had the "Diva" logo in the corner but she gasped at the article's title: _Samia Carlsen: An "Angel" of a Diva_. The page-long article held a couple of small pictures of her match with Guerrero and one of her kiss with Shawn. The article itself briefly chronicled her history with the WWE and her "rise" to the status of diva.

"Oh my God! I'm…I'm a diva?" She slowly sat down in one of the chairs at the tiny hotel table.

"Get real. You've been a diva. I just can't believe it took them this long to say it. Apparently your performance earned you a page that someone else got pre-empted out of. You've got it going on," Shawn responded, sitting down across from her.

"I think you're crazy. At least who ever wrote this used 'alleged' for my involvement with Benoit. This ain't too bad of a picture. See, my butt _does _stick out in those leather pants," she stated, pushing the magazine towards him.

"That's the intention."

"Real funny."

"What do you think of this one?" Shawn asked, tapping the one of them in a lip-lock.

"What do you mean?"

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that does this mean anything to you?" He tapped the picture again.

"Well…I…" She was searching for words. She knew for a fact that it meant a truckload of lust, but she couldn't be sure if there was really something else between them despite how he had been treating her before and after her joining up with the nWo. Shawn had become a different person to her but she knew he could make a girl love him without even trying. _Do I think I love him because I do or because he has made me think so?_ she asked herself. "You were just using me to get me into the nWo—why, I don't know—and now it just keeps with the gimmick," she said, trying to convince herself.

"I never used you. Okay, well, to begin with I did just so I could annoy RVD. The birthday kiss was Nash's idea but I can't say I _didn't_ enjoy it. Yeah, I kept 'propositioning' you in hopes to lure you in but just the opposite happened. _You_ lured me in. There is just something about you. You have said that you trust me. Trust me now."

"I don't know—" Shawn cut her off by leaning across the table and taking her lips in his. The feelings that rushed through her seemed to answer her question but she drew away. "Maybe it means a lot to me, but I was devastated after Rob. I don't want to be that hurt ever again."

Shawn took her hands in his and set her down on the bed. "I won't hurt you. I promise." She lost herself in his eyes and then in his total being. His promise was no longer in question when he took her into his arms and fervently kissed her. She obliged when he ran his hands under her over-sized sweatshirt leaving a trail of goose bumps and then flipping the shirt over her head, but she refused anything else until he complied with her current state. She knew exactly what he looked like shirtless but it was still breathtaking to have his chest bare just for her. She couldn't get enough of him before he insisted on moving farther. Their remaining clothes were strewn haphazardly on the carpet. As he settled her back on the pillows, an image of her and Rob in bed flitted through her mind. Shawn erased that image as he slowly worked his incredible magic. They fell asleep in the early hours of the morning, their bodies wrapped around each other.

TBC…

**

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Author's Notes: **

Samia being "named" a diva sounds very odd but this was _every _woman before in the company was considered a "diva" and _every _wrestler was called a superstar. 


	17. Keepin'em Decent

**_Chapter XVII: Keepin'em Decent_**

Shawn Michaels wasted no time in telling the world that Samia Carlsen was his 'girl.' The woman in question wasn't exactly as comfortable when it came to him showing 'affection' to proclaim that, especially in the ring. While she may have wanted to push his hands away in public, she could hardly resist at all other times. Maybe it was that drawing away that caused the fans to be split on whether or not they were in favor of their relationship. All that aside, she really didn't seem to care. He made her feel like she was in heaven every night and hung on his arm every day.

While Hunter and Kevin were congratulatory, X-Pac seemed to become more distant towards her after Shawn's 'announcement' about the two of them. She tried working with him despite the obvious distrust and dislike. He had won the Intercontinental title from Booker T only because she had worked a clause in over McMahon that got him the shot with a guest referee—Shawn Michaels. She and HBK had been fairly successful in keeping X-Pac in easy matches but that hadn't seemed to appease him. She was one of those people who wanted to be liked, especially by those she worked with. Part of the excessive hurt she experienced after her break-up with RVD was the loss of friendship and the anger that her former friends projected at her. Working so closely with the Kid pushed her harder to find some way to convince him to trust her, or at least like her.

While she might have been focusing her efforts on X-Pac, Shawn continually talked and negotiated for them all and Samia twisted words and wrote. A slight fudge got the Cerebral Assassin out of a planned hardcore run by the bookers. On the other hand, she managed the odd tag-team match-up of Triple H and the Big Show. The tag-team belts were still on SmackDown! but they were working hard to get themselves a title match for one of the pay-per-views. In the mean time, the two were practicing on the current tag-teams of RAW so that they could become unstoppable in the ring together.

Due to an oversight by McMahon, she had gotten Nash a match with the Undertaker but had not been able to institute the no DQ clause, causing Undertaker to keep the Undisputed title. She had earned Kevin a re-match that was being highly promoted for the next pay-per-view. The nWo just picked at the Undertaker instead of launching a full-scale war on him, which was the usual action taken by the group. She was a little concerned a few of them were planning something that they weren't sharing with her as more and more words were whispered over her head and additional meetings were head by the core of the group—Nash, Helmsley, and Michaels—without her. She wasn't sure whether she should take it as a compliment or as distrust. If they were planning something, she figured that they knew she probably wouldn't agree with it, so they didn't share.

"Someone has to keep these boys half way decent," she muttered to herself as she trotted down the hall with cans of soda in one arm and a plate full of cookies in the other hand, a bit of indulgence for the guys. A familiar voice called her name and she turned to see Rob Van Dam rushing to catch up with her. Not long ago, she would have practically dropped everything in her arms and eagerly met him. Now, she felt just a slight ping in her heart and wanted to dodge him because he had to be up to something to want to talk to _her_.

"So…I understand you and Shawn are a hot item?" he started, hooking his thumbs in the pockets of his work-out pants.

"Yeah, I would guess," she replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"You do know how he treats women?"

"He's been nothing but a gentleman to me," she responded quite defensively.

"What I'm saying is that you're the flavor of the month. You were something he couldn't have but, now that he has you, he'll waste no time in tossing you aside when he's bored." The red beady eyes of some mythical creature stared at her from his chest and seemed to taunt her.

"I am _not_ the flavor of the month. Thanks for the vote of confidence," she snapped and turned to go.

"Samia, wait!" he called and put a hand on her arm to stop her. "I just want you to be aware of Shawn's past history so you don't get hurt so bad. He doesn't have that nickname for nothing. He'll break your heart."

"I have already been through the worst heartbreak of my life," she stated very pointedly, glaring at him. "What business is this to you?"

"Because maybe I…" He trailed and she realized she was hanging on his every word. "Never mind. Just be careful, please." With her defenses now down, her softened eyes locked with his briefly and the look on his face after Adrienne's "betrayal" flashed through her mind. He was past history and she couldn't let a passing moment in the hall change her resolve. Samia nodded to break their gaze and then returned to her mission at hand, forcing her thoughts away. Rob was the last thing on her mind when she was greeted with a kiss upon entering the room and a greedy bunch of boys pounced on the plate of cookies.

Before Samia could comfortably settle down to watch any of RAW, Nash pulled her aside and began detailing another task for her. "Kevin! You want me to do what?" Samia literally shouted at him. Nash rose to his full height, folded his arms across his chest, and stared down at her. She stared back for a moment from where she sat to defy him but, when he didn't budge, she knew she had no choice. "Okay. I'll go get the laptop out of the car." RAW was half through and Nash had another hare-brained scheme—pictures of models with Brock Lesnar's head superimposed on them as psychological warfare for the main event that night. By now she had lost all of her fear about walking throughout the arena by herself, so she stalked out a little angry by Kevin's demands.

The nWo had arrived fashionably late and they were stuck with a parking spot in the back. About five cars down from theirs, she noticed a black boot sticking out between a motorcycle and a van. Quietly she sneaked down to the motorcycle and gasped at the sight before her. The Undertaker was laid out between the two vehicles with blood trickling through his red spiky hair. _I can't believe they'd do this! _was her first thought but then chastised herself for knowing that they could and would as she dropped down beside him and gently shook him, calling his name. Taker didn't move. She quickly headed back the way she came to keep from drawing too much attention to them too soon and grabbed the first person she saw. "Pamela, get the paramedics," she evenly explained. "Undertaker's down in the back of the parking lot." Samia gave Pamela a slight push and then dashed back to where the Undertaker lay. She was on her knees beside him again, trying to wake him. His hand moved and she grabbed it.

Heavy eyes then fluttered open and, when he recognized her, he barely whispered, "Help me."

"I've got somebody coming, I promise. Stay with me now. Okay?" It wasn't like he was on the verge of dying but she just started rattling off whatever came to her head first. Taker tightened his grip on her hand and didn't let go. He barely nodded at her words but his eyes slowly shut again. The paramedics worked around her while she continued to hold his hand and talk to him despite the fact that they tried to make her move. She felt she owed him something for what she was almost certain the nWo had done.

Pamela was doing a good job holding off most of the curious on-lookers and cameras. As they started to load the Undertaker in the ambulance, one paramedic asked her if she was going with him. The iron-grip he had on her hand convinced her to climb in the vehicle with them. She motioned for Pamela to hand her his bag and trench coat. "Pamela, please tell Shawn that I got sick and had you take me back to the hotel. Oh, and tell him not to bother me, that I'll call him when I feel better. Please," she pleaded. Pamela nodded hesitantly and watched the ambulance disappear. Samia felt sorry for the poor girl who would have to deal with the nWo.

A bump in the road must have jostled the Undertaker awake for a moment because, through the oxygen mask, he muttered, "Sara, call Sara."

"Don't talk now. I'll get her. Just rest," Samia whispered to him and his eyes fluttered shut again. She couldn't help but sigh at the love the two of them shared.

At the emergency room, the woman was able to pry her hand out of his death-grip. Otherwise, the hospital personnel would have done it for them before they disappeared with him behind a large set of double doors and left her standing in the waiting room, holding his coat and bag. She started pacing the empty room and quickly drew the looks of the attendants. _I probably look like some prostitute off the street, _she thought and quickly slipped on the coat in hopes of toning down her outfit and losing some of the stares. The coat dragged the floor but at least it covered up her revealing outfit. _Think, think, think. What now? Who do I call to get in touch with his wife?_ None of the attendants seemed to care about the ballgame that was on, so she quickly turned the television to the last half hour of RAW. The program was just heading into a commercial break.

Samia began rifling through the Undertaker's bag and found his cell phone. She about jumped for joy when she found his home number on speed dial. "Sara, this is Samia Carlsen…yeah, unfortunately, that's me…No, just listen to me…Please, listen. Someone attacked your husband and I happened to be the lucky one to find him…No, I had nothing to do with it…Just listen. He should be just fine. He's got a bad gash on the back of his head and pretty nasty cut on the front. A concussion is possible but right now he's in the emergency room and they're checking him over…He said to call you…I'll stay until you get here…I don't care how long it takes. I'll leave his cell phone on if you want to call back…Yes…Alright. 'Bye."

The commercials were over when she got off the phone and Lawler and J. R. were back to their usual off-color comments but quickly stopped to let everyone know that the Undertaker had been attacked and taken to the hospital. They showed what footage they had, which wasn't much—just a bunch of people standing around and then the paramedics loading him into the ambulance. Jerry thought he recognized a quick shot of Samia's blonde hair and voiced that opinion. "Damn it! Damn it all to hell!" she shouted but was then surprised at herself for letting something like that slip in public. She sheepishly grinned and shrugged her shoulders at one of the nurses.

The nWo made an appearance after the footage and Samia suspected it was damage control. Shawn may have been controlled by his libido but Nash was smart as a whip and probably put two and two together. Jerry once again voiced his opinion that Samia was the one with the Undertaker since she wasn't with them. However, Shawn took great care in explaining Pamela's version of Samia's absence. Lawler stated that he didn't believe him but dropped the subject anyway. Shawn said that the nWo had nothing to do with the attack but expressed that they wish they could have been the ones to take him out. Samia rolled her eyes. _Yeah, right, _she thought and knew they did it with Vengeance coming up in a little less than two weeks. _So much for keeping them half-way decent._ RAW ended with a clean finish between a victorious Nash and a defeated Brock Lesnar, only Lesnar's second loss ever.

By the time the Undertaker was finally settled into a room, Samia had given up on attempting to determine their relationship. He had been courteous to her when she most needed a friendly face. Then out of nowhere, he was the one who was coming to her rescue from Guerrero and Benoit. She had mulled over why he had helped her and then left the message checking on her. She had thanked him for his help but that had been the last of any major interaction between the two. Her life then hit the spin cycle and the woman had thought little of him since. Now, she wondered why he cared at all to befriend her and, mostly, why he had 'rescued' her when he knew that Michaels would have found her eventually. However, she had no doubts as to why she had helped him and it had little to do with reparations for what the nWo had done to him.

Samia made herself comfortable in the seat closest to the bed and began her wait for the Undertaker's wife. She must have dozed off because she was startled when Taker called her name. "Samia, what time is it?"

"Gosh, let's see…three-thirty. Sara should be here fairly soon," she answered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and checking her watch.

"So you got in touch with her?" he groaned, rubbing his head.

"Of course, I did. My cohorts may be absolutely merciless but I'm not all that bad," she replied, smiling.

"I always knew you were too good for them. Thanks."

"For what? Just being human?" she facetiously asked but he somberly shook his head at her. "Can I do anything else for you?"

"Some water would be good," he answered, gingerly feeling the bruises on his face and the stitches on the back of his head.

She poured him a cup from the pitcher she had filled earlier and made sure he had a good grip on it before she let go. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Not to dredge up what happened earlier, but do you know who attacked you?"

"I wish I did," he sighed when she expected anger. "Whoever it was hit me from behind and I turned to see who it was and got it from the front before I could see anything."

"I'm sure my boys did it, but I want you to know that I had nothing to do with it and knew absolutely nothing about it," she said, trying to assure him that she wasn't there for his harm. He nodded and closed his eyes against a wave of pain. "Why don't you go back to sleep? I'll see about talking to someone about getting you some painkillers." She squeezed his arm and headed out the door.

Sara arrived right before dawn and Samia quietly left the room without saying 'goodbye' as Sara woke up her husband. Samia had dozed on and off all night, so she wanted nothing more than to get in bed. She slipped the keycard into the lock and opened the door to find Shawn lounged out in a chair asleep, his feet propped on the bed and the remote in his hand. While they may have been lovers, they didn't technically share a room. If they spent the night together, they did, but she always booked herself a separate room. Their relationship wasn't exactly that of hers and Rob's and she still needed privacy and, more importantly, some time to herself. Plus, she worked better alone and it seemed she was typing endless contracts.

Samia tried to quietly back out the door so as not wake him. She first needed to formulate a good excuse but it was already useless. Shawn quickly rose and put his hands on his hips in a demanding manner. "I, um…I…" she began but then just dropped her hands to her sides in surrender.

"That's what I thought."

"Look. You just can't lay out people like that and leave them to bleed to death or something like that," she accused, plopping down on the bed to remove her boots from her aching feet.

"Who said we did it?" he asked, his tone not much different than hers, but she just glared back at him. "Okay, so we did. We made a boo-boo and you fixed it. That's what you're here for anyhow."

"Glad to know it," she scoffed.

"Why did you go with him and stay there?" he asked, his voice softer and more inquiring.

"Shawn, he asked me for help and wouldn't let go of my hand. In the ambulance, he asked for his wife. I called her and she wanted me to stay with him until she got there. I couldn't say 'no' to any of that. I pictured us in that same situation and would have wanted someone to do that for you and me."

"Alright. I can't fault you for that. But why did you send Pamela to us with that big, fat lie?"

"I knew you would be mad—me fraternizing with the enemy before my main man's match. Are you crazy? Of course, I lied," she angrily replied.

"Are you that scared of us?" Shawn asked, sitting down beside her.

"I just know what happened the last few times I ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time—a lot of hurt. I didn't want that to happen again, but I guess it did," she said with a sigh and turned away, already imagining how this was going to mess up her life.

"No, it hasn't happened again," he replied and hugged her to him.

"I hope the other guys are just as convinced as you are," she responded with a nervous laugh. They would not be as convinced because they knew what had happened. If Lawler was intelligent enough to figure it out, they were too. When Samia had been gone for longer than it should have taken her to retrieve her laptop, X-Pac began asking questions, raising Kevin's suspicions. He had asked where Helmsley and the Big Show had dropped the Undertaker—the parking lot. Shawn casually tried to find Samia but there were so many people crowded around the 'scene of the crime' that he couldn't get through. After that, the inner circle of the faction began formulating damage control.

"I'll be sure they are," Shawn assured her. "Don't you worry about it. Want some breakfast?"

"No, I just want to go to sleep. It's been a long night," she answered and snuggled into Shawn's warms arms. "You know, I love you."

He stroked her hair and replied, "You're nothing but an angel." She didn't think about his response and quickly fell asleep with him curled around her.

TBC…


	18. Tough Love

**_Chapter XVIII: Tough Love_**

Shawn really sweet-talked the guys, or so it seemed to Samia, since none of them said anything or treated her any different. Nash, on the other hand, claimed he was fine with everything around everyone else but she could tell otherwise. She knew he was pissed when he walked in the dressing room first thing at RAW and announced that he pulled off a match for her with Trish Stratus.

"I thought we were gonna wait just a bit longer. My finishing move is barely ready," she argued, her stomach beginning to churn with nerves. "What brought this on?"

"Let's say the opportunity was too good to pass up," he responded nonchalantly.

"Thanks for including me in your foray to get me a match," she sarcastically smiled.

"Thanks for including us in _your_ foray last week," he spouted back off at her.

"Listen—"

"No, you listen. Tough love. Everyone has to earn their spot in the nWo. Tough love, girl. Tough love." He laughed to himself and walked out the door.

Samia thought about tackling him from behind but knew it was absolutely futile and would only make things worse. The minute Shawn entered the room, she started on a tirade. "Do you know what Kevin just did to me? He just…he just…" She was so angry she couldn't talk.

"What are you talking about?" Shawn asked, putting his hands on her shoulders to hold her still.

"He just put me in a match with Trish that I didn't ask for nor did I want!" she yelled in the direction Nash had disappeared as if he could hear her.

"You didn't know about it?" Shawn asked, wrinkling his forehead.

"Hell, no, I didn't know about it!" she yelled but then stopped, folding her arms across her chest. "I take it you did."

"Oh…I think something went wrong somewhere."

"You dang skippy somethin' went wrong," she spouted off.

"Here, maybe this will make it better," he said, handing her a shopping bag.

She smiled and took it from him. "How sweet." Her attitude quickly changed again when she pulled out a silver lycra halter top and a pair of black lycra pants with a silver nWo logo on one butt cheek. "Pardon me?"

"I couldn't let you go back out there in that T-shirt and baggy pants," he answered, appraising her body in the skimpy dress.

"And somehow this is better?" she queried, waving the outfit at him.

"Well, yeah. I picked it out. It's not like I don't know your size—very well—so I wanted it to be a surprise," he innocently explained. "You'll look great in it."

"I don't have the body of the other divas. I can't wear this."

"You have a better body than Molly. Come on," he pleaded.

"You'll pay for this," she said through gritted teeth.

"I hope I do," he smiled. Her reply was a cock-eyed glare.

Samia disappeared to change and begin focusing for her match. Despite the ominous feelings, Nash, Triple H, and Shawn brought her out to her regular entrance with them. She decided if she was going to feel like a 'ho', she may as well act the part. She pulled the long-sleeve T-shirt over her head and Shawn masterfully tugged at her zip-away pants. She pulled Shawn in for a kiss that only Nidia and Jamie Noble would share in public. If only she felt as good as her entrance looked. The guys disappeared on her and the blond Canadian made her way to the ring. Samia had gotten quite a rise from the crowd but Trish definitely beat her out by a long shot when she made her entrance.

Out of nervousness, Samia attacked first. She got in a few clotheslines and then set Trish up in the corner to deliver a chest slap but Trish retaliated with a punch to her gut and then brought her down with a DDT. Trish pulled her up by her braid. Samia put an elbow to her stomach and Trish stumbled. She tripped her up and grabbed her foot to apply an ankle lock. Trish pushed out of it with her other leg and knocked Samia into the turnbuckle. Samia came out of the corner and jerked her into an armbreaker. Trish got in a kick causing Samia to let go of her. Trish whipped her into the turnbuckle and executed a back-spring elbow to her body. She pulled her out of the corner and put her in a headlock. Trish finally let go and threw her into a hip toss. She could only lie there but not for long when Trish dragged her up by her hair again. Trish's suplex was textbook. She bounced off the ropes but Samia got in a drop toe hold. Trish ate canvas but was quickly back up again and applied a back breaker. Samia was stunned and knew not to stay down on the mat long. She quickly stood but only to be flattened again by the Stratusfaction. The three count was over before she realized what had happened.

There was no greeting by the faction or even half of them. Only Shawn met her at the top of the ramp to help her back to their room. "I didn't stand a chance. She humiliated me," Samia whined, almost to the point of crying. It was the physical pain as much as the humiliation and what felt like betrayal by Kevin for simply helping out a fellow human being.

"No, no, no. That was your first real match and you were outstandin' for goin' up against a women's champion like her. You're broke in now and can only go up from here," he said, trying to comfort her.

Nash came up behind her and whispered in her ear, "Tough love." Samia gritted her teeth and kept on walking. She had worked too hard for her status with the faction and she didn't want to rock the boat, especially since she considered this match her penance for the Undertaker. Shawn and Kevin deposited her in the dressing room and left with Triple H for his singles match. She immediately headed for a long, hot shower and stayed there until the guys returned, caring little if there was any warm water left. She slipped out as Hunter brushed past her in nothing but a towel. _Geez, he is nothing but an Adonis! _she thought and then deftly jerked his towel from his waist and rolled it up to flick him with it. The towel left a little red spot on his gorgeous bare bottom. He laughed at her with twinkling eyes and slipped into the shower, rubbing his butt. She quickly took his other towel, hid it, and settled on the couch to wait for everybody to get ready to leave. That would teach him not to pick on her about her drinking again.

"Mia!" Hunter shouted from the shower.

"Yes, honey?" she called to him.

"Bring me my towel!" he yelled back.

"What towel, sugah?"

"Fine," he replied and walked out of the shower completely nude. "I can live with it if you can. Not like everybody else here ain't seen it." He strode across the room in all of his glory, sopping wet, in search of a towel. She tried to avert her eyes but that sculpted body couldn't be avoided. Before he could catch her looking, she grabbed her bag and headed out the door to take it to the car and to cool off.

* * *

Nash's title match with the Undertaker finally arrived. Because of Kevin's confidence and cockiness, the nWo planned for only Triple H, Shawn, and Samia to accompany him to the ring—X-Pac and the Big Show having wrestled earlier in the night. Shawn paid someone off on the pyro crew to give Nash an exceptional ring entrance. Samia was sure her hair had been singed somewhere in the process of coming down the ramp. As usual, Shawn ran his mouth but was interrupted by the words "dead man walking." The four of them slipped out of the ring as the Undertaker took his sweet time in getting down there. Samia could tell he wasn't a hundred percent and hoped this match wouldn't make his injuries worse. 

The match was slow for the two big men. They chose skill instead of speed. Neither had the upper hand as they exchanged blow for blow and move for move. She had her task that was to ensure Nash's victory and nervously awaited her cue. _Anybody but Undertaker_, she thought but wouldn't risk her position again in the nWo by refusing to do her part. Maybe he would understand her precarious situation. Undertaker finally got in over Nash and started to set him up for a suplex. "Mia! Go now!" She hesitated, putting only one foot on the steel stairs. "Now!" Hunter yelled again and pushed her up the steps. Shawn was already heading to the other side of the ring with Hunter right on his tail.

Samia stepped in through the ropes and Nick Patrick was immediately after her. Because she had hesitated, the Undertaker did the unbelievable and suplexed Nash onto the mat. They crowd was in amazement. She continued to argue with Patrick and shove his hands away as he tried to get her out of the ring. Per her orders, she wouldn't budge until Shawn leveled the Undertaker with his Sweet Chin Music and Triple H executed the Pedigree. As they scrambled out of the ring, she backed off and was by their side—out of the way of any more danger.

Nash recovered, picked the massive man up, and drove him in the ground with a Jackknife powerbomb. Samia stood there in awe of Kevin's maneuver, especially since she didn't think he could pull it off. Shawn tugged her back into the ring and the three guys celebrated while she faked it, wishing she could help the Undertaker out of the ring along with the trainers and feeling like she should offer something as conciliation.

* * *

"Hey, chick," Nash called, coming into the dressing room the next night on RAW. Samia wanted to run and hide—they were still not on good terms. "I bring a peace-offering. Suit up. You've got Jackie Gayda tonight." 

"Really?" she asked, jumping up from the couch. Finally, it was a chance to redeem herself. Kevin smiled and nodded. "You are precious!" She tiptoed to pull him down for a kiss on his cheek and then disappeared to get ready, completely forgetting how pissed she was at him. After Jackie's singles match with Trish, Samia knew she could make mincemeat out of her.

Samia came to the ring with her usual fanfare and then was left alone after a nice warning to Jackie by Samia's fellow nWo members. She waited for Jackie to make the first move. Samia threw the other woman with a hip toss and then jerked her back up by her loose blond hair. She then grabbed her by the waist to bring her down for a facebreaker. _Thank you, Hunter, _she thought, giving him props for the move. The woman dropped for the three count but Jackie kicked out. Samia wrapped her legs around Jackie's and slingshot catapulted her into the turnbuckle. She mistakenly started working the crowd, feeling the fans' dislike of the Tough Enough winner, and Jackie was able to clothesline her. She hit the canvas and Jackie tried a half nelson but Samia slipped out of her grasp before she could put the hold on her. With Jackie still on the mat, Samia fell on her with an elbow drop and was immediately back up to execute a leg drop. She flipped Jackie over on her stomach and quickly tucked Jackie's ankle behind her other knee. She applied pressure to Jackie's other leg and placed her own leg in between Jackie's entangled legs. Samia reached down to grab Jackie's arms and pull her up on her knees.

* * *

"Oh my God! J. R., is that an Indian Deathlock? She just put Jackie in an inverted surfboard while she's got her in that deathlock!" Lawler screamed, deafening the poor sound guy who had to jerk off his earphones backstage. 

"I would say so, King. I would love to know where she learned to do that!"

"That's just plain evil! Jackie can't even tap out." Lawler angrily slapped the table.

"I think that's the point," Ross pointedly stated, glancing over at Jerry. "It's not like she's cheating."

"Robinson's ringing the bell. Jackie must have given in," King dejectedly said.

"Mia's done quite well since her match with Trish," the other announcer began, ignoring Lawler's comment. "It's a good thing for Trish that Mia didn't put her in that last week."

"J. R., she didn't stand a chance against Trish. Look at her gloating."

"Trish is by far a more seasoned wrestler but don't put it past the nWo to seek revenge. If Mia keeps wrestling like that, King, she may be able to compete on equal footing with Trish sooner than we think."

"Here come the nWo now. They disgust me, especially after they ganged up on Undertaker last night."

"Give them credit tonight. None of them cheated this time," Ross replied, surprised that Lawler was railing on the faction, but then he noticed that Samia's breasts were not as large as Jackie's nor Trish's. If Jerry was going to be on Jackie's side, he couldn't be on the nWo's at the same time.

"Give'em time, J. R. Give'em time," he cackled, relishing in the thought of what they could do.

* * *

"Guys, that felt so good," Samia announced in the lockerroom as she accepted congratulations. 

"Awesome, chick. You creamed her. Told you I had a present for you. You ripped into her like it was Christmas." Nash laughed, giving her a bear hug.

"She was too easy," she replied demurely.

"No, you were that good," Shawn countered, hugging her again.

"Next time," Hunter cut in, "set up the surfboard deathlock _with_ the facebreaker. You used it too soon."

"I just wanted to let her know what kind of trouble she was in from the start," Samia replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"Now that you've had a taste, you want the women's belt now, don't you?" Kevin asked amidst the celebration to catch her on a high.

"It would be nice but I don't think I'm ready for Molly," she replied, waving him off as she gathered her toiletries up for a shower.

"The nWo has the Intercontinental and heavyweight belts and we're not far from the tag-team belts. Who cares about the hardcore and cruiserweight belts? So why not bring in the women's belt?"

"I can't take Molly," she protested, throwing a towel over her shoulder.

"Not on your own. Whip us out something before next week and Shawn'll get you a title shot," Kevin demanded and then left her before she could protest again. _I guess I'll get on that tomorrow,_ she sighed to herself, not really that upset that she could be holding the women's belt in a couple of weeks even though she knew she should feel bad about allowing them to cheat to get her the belt.

TBC…


	19. Heavyweight Troublemaker

**_Chapter XIX: Heavyweight Troublemaker_**

Samia endured as much of Molly's beating as she could and kept praying that Shawn would interfere—again. He had already pulled Molly off her twice when she went down for the count. Samia saw Molly set up for the Molly-Go-Round but she didn't have the strength to move. She closed her eyes, steeled herself for the blow, and prayed. Shawn didn't stop Molly because William Regal had come flying out of the back to ensure that he didn't interfere anymore. They had grappled at ringside, and at the crucial count, Shawn threw Regal through the ropes and into Chuck Robinson. He quickly took advantage when Molly tried to clothesline him for interfering and connected his foot with her chin. He tossed Regal from the ring and shook Robinson until he recovered. By then, Samia had put Molly into the Angel of Death—what the nWo was now calling her deathlock surfboard. Samia grabbed the belt and fled with Shawn before Molly or Regal came to enough to do any damage. She felt it a shame that she couldn't celebrate her victory in the ring.

After the match, Samia had made herself presentable and was fairly well rested by the time Terri approached Nash for their pre-arranged interview. Samia snubbed her nose at Terri when she asked if Samia would be involved. The new wrestler wouldn't have minded taking another swing at her but it wasn't worth it anymore. She would be stooping far below her status. Kevin and Shawn left the four of them in the room and set up with Terri right outside the door. Samia kicked back in front of the monitor, not really interested in what Nash and Shawn had to say since they were going to just bark about Nash still holding the belt and nobody being willing to challenge him.

However, her attention turned to the interview when she noticed Shawn, standing slightly behind the two and absorbed in his own world, pull black thong underwear out of his pocket. He arranged it on his head with the back of the thong centering his nose and the sides stretching across his cheeks. Samia gasped when she realized the black cloth was what she was wearing last night before a particular incident got them banned from the hotel pool. _Does he not know where that strand of thread has been?_ she thought. Without hesitation, she dove for Shawn's bag and pulled out a clean pair of his bikini briefs. In seconds, she had her hair in pigtails and the green silk situated on her head, the pigtails poking out each of the leg holes. She bounced through the door, her blond hair bobbing, and sidled up to Shawn, feet apart and hands on her hips. All she needed now was a cape.

The look of shock on his face was well worth the embarrassment that the incident would afford her the rest of her life. He quickly recovered and reached out to straighten the underwear on her head before assuming their superhero stances throughout the last of the interview, which was extremely short after Nash noticed the two idiots. Needless to say, Nash was not the happiest person, but Shawn, Samia, Hunter, and Show couldn't quit laughing for at least an hour and a half.

* * *

Vince McMahon was slowly catching on to Samia's role in the nWo. He finally figured out that she was not just the token female but a "heavyweight" troublemaker on paper. He had personally taken to reading half of the documents and contracts the nWo claimed came from their "lawyers" since his own lawyers had previously failed to catch some of their finer points of legal wrestling "moves." He still was not aware of three-quarter of the things that had passed over his desk that ensured the nWo's staying one up on the rest of the wrestling world. He had passed off most of what they had done in the arena as nothing but ruthless aggression and classic nWo but they just continued to laugh at him behind his back. Since McMahon was wising up, the group set to careful planning. To begin with, they just instantaneously did what came to mind. Now, they were being more methodical in their moves and Samia was key in keeping it all straight. 

The weeks slipped by as they plotted. X-Pac dropped the Intercontinental title to Jeff Hardy the one week half of them where on vacation. Samia had made provision for their time off with a legitimate rematch clause. X-Pac picked the belt back up the very next week. In a move by McMahon to get back at Samia, he demanded she defend her belt on SmackDown! for several matches but with only Nash accompanying her since he could cross over as the Undisputed champion. Shawn tried to convince McMahon that he was entitled to go as her valet. Since he couldn't pull that off, he bribed the bookers to set up her matches against Stacy Keibler, Torrie Wilson, and Dawn Marie. They weren't quite as easy as Jackie but she handled them just as well without the need for interference. Even when she wasn't defending, she and Nash made their trips to SmackDown! together. At first, Samia wasn't too happy about it but she had to stick with her team. Their friendship seemed to return as she slowly got over Nash's "tough love" act he pulled on her. After sacrificing Jackie as a peace-offering, he put on the big brother/little sister act. She and Kevin bounced back and forth together as companions despite who had the title match. On RAW, Shawn planned on pulling off Linda Miles and Jackie Gayda for Samia's title matches. She felt like Goldberg in his beginning run in WCW, except she knew there was no way she could hold her own when it came to going up against established women wrestlers.

Linda Miles was the closest woman that came to beating Samia on her own. Linda was classic textbook, obviously what had been drilled into her during Tough Enough II. Training from the nWo was hardly anything textbook, which Samia had going for her. She didn't even know half of the names of the moves she could execute. The problem with Linda was that it took a lot of hard hits to put her down for a count. She was taller and stronger but not smarter. Finally, after two facebreakers, Samia was able to put her on the mat for the Angel of Death. As she wrapped up Linda's legs, the crowd quickly quieted down. She heard the footsteps in the ring behind her and turned, only to be blind-sided by a pair of brass knuckles. Her first thought was Terri, so she was quickly up, wiping away a trickle of blood and ready to spear the smaller woman.

Except it wasn't Terri—it was Adrienne Bradley. Shocked, Samia stopped mid-stride, which was her first mistake. Adrienne took the moment of surprise to lash out with the steel chair she had brought with her and dropped in the ring right before she had punched the other woman with the brass knucks. Samia twisted around and all Adrienne got was her shoulder blades. Samia crumpled from the blow but was still conscious. She rolled out of the ring in hopes of escaping another attack. _So, that's what it feels like to be hit with a chair,_ she thought and now considered herself an idiot for considering taking that chairshot for RVD as she waited for her bones to stop screaming at her. With over half the nWo streaming out of the locker room, Adrienne skirted around the ramp to hide. With them in the ring, she climbed up on the announcer's booth and jerked a microphone from Ross' hand. J. R. and Lawler had the most confused looks on their faces.

"I know it was you, Carlsen," Adrienne yelled, pointing down at ringside at the figure struggling to get control of herself.

Samia glanced around for a way to respond and grabbed Lilian's mike before stalking to the bottom of the ramp. "I don't guess being blonde helped you figure that one out, did it?" she evenly replied back. Hunter, Shawn, and Kevin gathered behind her, arms folded across their chests and menacing looks on their faces.

"Rob Van Dam was mine!" Adrienne's voice hit that pitch that only Stephanie McMahon could reach.

"You can keep him!" Samia retorted.

"You took care of him for me, didn't you? If Samia can't have Rob, nobody can?" she yelled, her heading bobbing to emphasize her words.

"Look, chick, I don't know where you get your delusions, but, newsflash, you deserved it. I guess, RVD just saw right through you. Cheaters and liars always get what's coming to them," she nonchalantly flicked out.

"And you ought to know, Carlsen. How's Shawn been doing, by the way? His back still holding up, cheater?"

Shawn took a step to make her eat those words, but Samia grabbed him by the arm and spoke to him, "This is my business." She turned back to Adrienne. "Cut the crap. What do you want?"

"You! In a match, next week. I have waited for four months, stuck in an office in Connecticut, demoted to hell because of you. I had to beg my way back on the road, and now that I'm back, you have to pay," Adrienne replied, noticing Lawler ogling her butt.

"You are so stupid, Bradley, you know that? You are no threat to me. So, next week, me and you, huh?" Samia asked.

"_Just_ me and you. None of them," Adrienne clarified, kicking at Lawler, who quickly diverted his attention elsewhere.

"Puh-lease. I don't need them when it comes to you."

Adrienne opened her mouth to return her insult but Vince McMahon's music cut her off. The Chairman swaggered out with that smile that said only one thing—he was about to interfere in a way only advantageous to him. "Slow down, ladies. Nobody but me makes matches around here." McMahon turned to the enraged figure on the announcer's booth. "Adrienne Bradley, right? Rob Van Dam's ex-girlfriend? Oh, wait, the both of you are his ex-girlfriends." McMahon snickered at his joke, looking back and forth at Samia and Adrienne, but no one else acted amused. "Miss Bradley, you're just a stagehand. Yet, you think you can take on our women's champ, huh?" Adrienne confidently nodded in return to his question. He smirked, envisioning the revenge he was going to receive for Samia's "legal actions" with the notorious faction. "I tell you what, let's have a best two of three. Hmmm, a swimsuit contest next week, a tar and feather match after that, and last, how about a bra and panties chocolate match?" Vince suggested with a lascivious grin and the crowd went wild. The men didn't care which women were fighting as long they looked good in a bikini doing it.

Samia was enraged but Adrienne was grinning ear to ear. McMahon continued, "The nWo is banned from the ring for the matches. I do have the power to fire any one of you who interferes." He turned on his heels and took a few steps to leave but then wheeled around. "Wait, I've got one spot left for the Divas calendar." He looked Adrienne up and down and then Samia. She was sickened at the look on his face. "I think one of you should do just fine. Problem is, there's only one spot. The winner of this series will have the privilege of being Miss September." With that, McMahon was gone.

When they returned to the locker room, Shawn had to shove Samia in the shower, fully dressed, to get her to calm down. The water choked her and forced her to quit yelling. He turned the water off and pushed a towel in her face. "Done?" She nodded in between coughs. "Sure?" he asked and she nodded again. "Positive?"

"I've shut up, haven't I?" she choked out.

"Fine," he quickly replied, raising his arms in surrender. "I'll get your things so you can finish."

_Finish? You started it_, she angrily thought but didn't feel like fighting with him. So she slipped out of her gear and turned the water back on.

"September's kind of a boring month. I wonder what they'll put you in for the calendar," Shawn said, bringing in her toiletries. "Let's see, there's Labor Day...the leaves start turning colors...not to mention your birthday..." he mused, standing on the other side of the stall door.

"Just as long as I'm not stuck in some string bikini..." she muttered, peeling out of the wet lycra top.

"That reminds me. We need to get you another swimsuit for next week. That black thing you've got, that's not gonna do," he explained, looking her up and down as struggled with the soaked pants.

"That'll be just fine," she growled and jerked the stall door shut.

"Nah, you need to be in that thing Sable was wearing that one time. Hey, I'll supply the hand-prints."

At his comment, she stuck her head outside the stall. "Look, if I have to participate in this male chauvinist pig crap, I'm doing it on my own terms." Samia Carlsen, the well-respected career woman, with two degrees, now baring it all for eye candy. _I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe that I want to be in the calendar, _she thought, appalled at herself for actually picturing what theme they _would _use for her photoshoot.

"Whoa, I'm not a male chauvinistic pig!"

"You wish," she muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"Nothing."

TBC…


	20. Feathers, Chocolate, and Tar, Oh, My!

**_Chapter XX: Feathers, Chocolate, and Tar, Oh, My!_**

The swimsuit contest was a bust for Samia. She had finally agreed to a tiger print one-piece that was completely open in the back and almost the same in the front, since the V-neck stopped at her bellybutton. Adrienne had gone for something that was more of Sable's attire. If the wind blew, the three green scraps of cloths covering her would drift away. Needless to say, Adrienne won the first of the three, but not before Samia decked her after Lawler, the self-appointed judge, declared Adrienne the winner supposedly by the crowd's vote. Samia stalked off before Adrienne could retaliate. She wasn't taking the chance of the bathing suit being ripped off and her body completely exposed to the horny men in attendance. Her opponent was about humiliation and that would definitely work.

The next week brought the tar and feather match and Adrienne was one up. Samia was ready for this one. At least, she could put in some of her wrestling ability. Adrienne came at her immediately with fists flying. She caught Samia on the cheek before Samia could get anything in on her. Adrienne grabbed her hair and dragged her away from the side of the ring. She straddled her and began banging her head against the mat. Samia finally threw her off and scrambled for the bucket of what she hoped was chocolate or of like substance. She wanted this over with as soon as possible. Adrienne speared her from behind as she bent over to grab the bucket. Samia slid out from under her and centered her back with an elbow drop. The bucket was within reach and her hand almost closed around the handle when Adrienne jerked her away. Samia rolled onto her back and kicked her away. She grabbed the bucket and threw its contents at Adrienne. Adrienne rolled away just in time to miss the "tar."

"No more tar, Bradley. I guess we have to quit," Samia grinned.

"Think again," guest referee Lawler—who would have guessed—commented as one of the crew handed him another bucket. Adrienne only laughed as she pulled herself up with the ropes.

Carefully avoiding the chocolate spot on the ring, Samia charged her and clotheslined her over the top rope. She slid out of the ring and rolled Adrienne back in. Samia jerked her up by the hair and then brought her down for the facebreaker. Knowing there was no point in putting her in the deathlock, she took her time in pouring the contents of the bucket all over Adrienne. The feathers went everywhere as she dumped them from the cloth bag. Samia pulled her up for one last punch and let her fall back down to the mat. She opened her mouth to insult her but sucked a feather down her throat instead. Lawler raised her arm in victory but she jerked it away and hurried backstage in hopes of finding something to keep her from choking to death on that feather.

She was still picking feathers out of her stuff the next Monday night. The shorts and halter top she had worn for the match still hadn't come clean from whatever that stuff was in the bucket that had splattered over the outfit. This time, she knew it would be chocolate. She donned her purple lacey bra and panties and wrapped herself in a robe of the same color before stepping foot in anyone's presence, particularly the nWo. Hunter had mercilessly teased her about this whole mess with Adrienne, and she wasn't giving him another reason to make a crack before the match. Shawn begged for a peek all the way to the entrance and, as her music started, she flashed him but then darted through the curtains. It wasn't like he and the entire world wasn't about to see it.

Adrienne was waiting in the kiddie pool that was always used for mud matches. She already had a chocolate syrup bottle in her hands. The stipulations were that all six Sam's Club-sized bottles of chocolate syrup had to be used before one's opponent could be pinned. Just pouring out the syrup called for a DQ. Samia stepped into the pool and reached down for a bottle without taking her eyes off of Adrienne. Lawler was once again "ring-side" as the guest referee. Before he could signal the match to start, Adrienne took aim and began squirting. Samia turned her back and tried to pry off the top of bottle—if she could get the lid off instead of just squirting it, this would got much faster. Adrienne jerked her down by her hair and continued to squeeze out the bottle's contents. Samia was on her feet and successfully got the lid off. She elbowed Adrienne and turned the bottle up over Adrienne's head. She hoisted her up for a DDT and brought her down on the outside of the pool. Samia grabbed Adrienne's bottle and finished it off. She slung the syrup all over Adrienne as the other woman dove for another bottle.

Samia had the next bottle in hand and was popping the lid off of it when Adrienne got her straight in the face. She tried to get the chocolate out of her eyes as Adrienne jerked her backward, causing her land to flat on her back. Samia could feel more chocolate being squirted over her as she struggled to get the syrup out of her eyes and then to get to her feet. She grabbed Adrienne by the knees and brought her down. Two more bottles were left and Samia popped the lid off of another and quickly poured it out on Adrienne. She headed for the other one but slipped and cracked her tailbone. Adrienne pounced on the other bottle and began squirting her again. Samia barely managed to get up for the jarring pain in her back, but once on her feet, she tackled Adrienne, jerking the half-empty bottle from her hands and prying off the lid.

Instead of pouring the rest on Adrienne, Samia turned to Lawler who had just made a comment about licking the chocolate off her butt. He spluttered as the chocolate hit him full force in the face. She turned back to Adrienne and dragged her up from the floor, jerking her into a couple of armbreakers. Samia tried to set Adrienne up for the facebreaker but she slipped out of her hands and landed with a thud in the center of the pool. Lawler made another comment about the winner's puppies needing a bath and then offered his services. Samia stalked over to Lawler and landed a nice upper-cut. She returned to Adrienne and set her up for a suplex. While she was in the air, someone pushed Samia down from behind. She landed face-first in chocolate and was too dazed to immediately get back up. She could tell someone was trouncing Adrienne by her grunts and by accompanying male curses and then she heard Lawler call for the DQ. She wiped the syrup out of her eyes in time to see Steven Richards drop Adrienne to the floor outside the pool and kick her.

"That'll teach you to break up with me for that pussy RVD," Richards shouted at her. Samia was pissed at him for interrupting the match and for beating a woman up like that, even if it was Adrienne. She tapped him on the shoulder and swung at him as he turned around. She caught him on the jaw and he staggered before grabbing her by the hair and driving her face into the bottom of the pool. He picked her back up for God-only-knew-what but she fell to the floor as Rob Van Dam came running down the ramp. Richards turned tail and ran. RVD pulled Samia up to a sitting position and pushed the chocolate-covered strands of hair out of her face.

"You okay?" he asked. She blinked back and nodded, still too dazed to know who was helping her. He left her to check on Adrienne and directed Lawler to help her. Samia's head finally cleared enough to realize that it was Rob bent over Adrienne's body. Van Dam stood and came back to Samia.

She struggled up before he got back to her. "Get the hell away from me!" she yelled at him. "Just go on back to her!" She shoved him and slipped in the chocolate again. He caught her and eased her back down to the floor. Shawn was finally there and pulled her away from RVD. His glare was enough for Van Dam to throw up his arms and walk off from the disaster area.

So much had just happened that Samia's mind was reeling. She wanted to know what had just gone on but there was too much to think about. By the time she had finally gotten the syrup showered off, Nash had returned to the dressing room with some news. He had beaten Richards within an inch of his life to find out why he had attacked to the two of them. Apparently, he and Adrienne had hooked up in the independent circuit and he had gotten her the stagehand job. She dumped Richards for Van Dam after he and Samia split. The valet turned wrestler was amazed at how long someone could hold a grudge and wait for revenge.

As Nash finished the story, a knock sounded at the door and Kevin opened it to find none other than Vince McMahon on the other side, asking for Samia. He quickly informed her that she and Adrienne would be sharing the spot for the month of September since neither of them had won the match. Before the news could settle in, McMahon quickly exited. She was so enraged that her face started turning a dark shade of red. She could handle not winning the spot on the calendar but she couldn't handle having to share it with Adrienne. Shawn had to threaten to put her back under a cold shower if she didn't calm down. With the thought that the shoot wouldn't be for some weeks more, she pushed the anger from her mind to keep from being soaked again fully clothed.

Amidst all this, the right moment reared its ugly head for a pay-per-view tag-team title match. Samia and HBK got their men in against Billy and Chuck at SummerSlam. She was the only one to come to the ring with them, despite the obvious pain she was still in from the last match with Adrienne. Her back wouldn't be the same for a couple of weeks.

No doubt, Rico was there with his "boys." Samia studied him throughout the match until she was sure he was getting so frustrated he was about to interfere. Casually and with hands up, she approached Rico. "Quick fashion question, please."

"Okay, what is it?" he asked, still facing the match. She worked him around until he was facing the ramp.

"Do these pants look alright? I mean, does my butt stick out in them?" She twirled for him.

"They look fine. They could be tighter though," he responded, glancing over his shoulder at the match.

She tried to regain his attention. "These boots alright with them? Are they too clunky?"

"No, they could be clunkier. You probably should have went with patent leather though. It would make them stand out." Rico started to turn back around to the ring.

"What do you think about putting highlights in my hair?"

"More red highlights? No, you might think about dying your hair an auburn color though." Rico picked up a lock of her hair. "Girl, you need a trim. You've got split ends."

"I thought about a new cut. What's your opinion?" she asked, excited that she had his full-attention.

"You could try it this way…or this way." Rico said, fiddling with her hair until he heard the bell signal the end of the match. Samia quickly darted around him to join Triple H and the Big Show in the ring before Rico could realize that Billy and Chuck had lost the belts and she had distracted him enough to keep him out of the ring. The look on his face was well worth the risk taken.

The next night at RAW was an event for the nWo to gloat over all of their belts. Shawn launched into his usual oratorio. He went on about how everyone in the nWo that was physically able had a belt and how they held all of them but two, the two no one really cared about. He could talk on and on, so Samia made herself comfortable, perching on the top turnbuckle in one of the corners. At the mention of Triple H and his belt, he stretched and lounged back in the corner on her. Kind of irritated, she flicked his ear. Hunter flicked her shin in response, probably hard enough to bruise. "You are begging for it," she whispered in his ear as she rubbed her shin. Her next move was to flick both of his ears at the same time.

"Don't make me get even," he said, glancing over his shoulder at her.

"Oooh, scare me," she replied, pinching him on the side underneath his armpit.

"I'm warning you."

She got him on the other side. "Or you'll do what?" he playfully whispered.

Before she knew what was going on, he swept her off the turnbuckle into a fireman's carry and began twirling her. Shawn had to stop in the middle of his vocal run and was about to direct Nash to stop them but he was already on it. Hunter unceremoniously dropped her and they knew they were in trouble when they got back to the dressing room.

"Really, guys? Can the two of you stay out of trouble for five minutes?"

"Not when we're bored," Triple H replied, trying to get a bigger rise out of Shawn.

"Five minutes, in the ring. That's all I was asking," he said, staring Hunter down.

"You can put underwear on your head and get away with it but we can't have any fun, is that it?" Hunter demanded of Shawn. He didn't answer but turned his gaze on Samia.

"He started it," she stated bluntly.

"No, I didn't. She started it." Hunter pointed at her.

"I did not. You did," she accused him back and slapped at his hand.

"No. You did," he replied and slapped back at her.

"Will you kids knock it off?" Nash bellowed from across the room. They both quickly shut up.

Triple H leaned over to her to whisper, "I think I like picking on you more to irritate them than to irritate you." She tried not to bust out laughing as she thought the same thing about annoying him. Samia was finally started to enjoy their camaraderie.

* * *

"You're outvoted, chick. See you in a few minutes," Nash said, opening the door and shoving her out. Once again, Samia was on her way to find them something to munch—they were all bottomless pits twenty-fours a day. She had taken about four steps when three guys came crashing down the hall with a referee following behind. The hardcore match looked to be in full swing and she ducked back inside, slamming the door and leaning up against it to escape accidental bodily harm. 

"Hey! Where's our food?" Triple H wasted no time in asking. Then the thought hit her like a lightning bolt—Steven Richards currently held the hardcore title. Just a little payback was about to happen.

"They tried to attack me," she whispered, trying to act all shaken up as she pointed at the door.

"Who?" Shawn asked, getting up from the couch. The brawling got louder in the hall.

"Bradshaw and Tommy Dreamer," she answered and Nash and Triple H bounded through the door after practically tossing her aside. She grabbed one of her Singapore canes she always carried with her now and followed them. Bradshaw and Dreamer were trying to fight off the nWo and still get to Steven Richards. Before he could see her, Samia laid into him with her cane several times. She rolled him up for the pin and then took off for the dressing room with the belt dangling behind her. Nash and Triple H finally figured out what had just happened as she streaked by and did the same, all of them taking refuge in the lockerroom to let the three brawlers on the other side figure out what just happened.

"I can't believe you," Shawn barely said though his laughter and hugged her.

"You have been around us way too long," Big Show added, holding up the belt and running a hand over its surface.

"I just couldn't help myself when y'all had the other two down. It was ripe for the taking. So, when do we hit the ring? I have two belts I need to show off." She was too wrapped up in the moment to realize that she was holding the hardcore title. Her only thoughts were that she just wouldn't move out of sight of the nWo and she'd worry about title matches when she got to that bridge—she definitely wasn't thinking about the consequences. Even Molly had held the belt at one time and survived.

* * *

Samia arrived at the time the photographer had indicated on the second memo. She faked the stomach flu to get out of the shoot but it was rescheduled. The woman had hoped that they would just go ahead without her. When she received the second memo, she called the photographer to decline, saying that Adrienne could have the spotlight alone. A call came into her cell phone within ten minutes of hanging up with the photographer—it was McMahon. He quickly reminded her that it was in her contract to act in accordance with any stipulations as the consequence of a match—or be fired. She could suck it up for a few hours. 

However, her stomach had been sick all day from dreading the shoot and Samia wondered if she really _did _have the stomach flu this time. Upon arrival, she found out that she and Adrienne were the last two of the day and all the other divas had already left since they were running ahead of schedule. She didn't see Adrienne until after she had been ushered through make-up and wardrobe and had already posed for a few pictures. When the photographer had put her in white skimpy lingerie and stuck a halo on her head, she asked how it was supposed fit in with September. He rudely replied that that idea had been thrown out and the calendar was whatever he wanted to make it. She just assumed he was going along with the "angel" theme that Shawn had started. That is, until Adrienne was shown into the room wearing a revealing devil's outfit. It was all Samia could do not to walk out.

The two continued to glower at each other throughout the shoot and earned a few rebukes from the photographer. They kept their selves in check well until he handed them feather pillows and told them to have at it. He finally stopped the fight when it got out of hand and put them close together in suggestive poses with feathers still floating around in the air. When he finally called it a wrap, Samia bodily shoved Adrienne off her and punched in the face. She struck oil as Adrienne's nose began to bleed. She jerked the halo from her head, kicked off the high heels, and waited for Adrienne to retaliate. Adrienne only rushed off to find something to stop the flow, which was getting pretty bad, before she bled all over everything. Massaging her knuckles, Samia called after her, "In case you didn't figure it out, that meant 'stay away' for good."

TBC…


	21. A Change of Mind

**_Chapter XXI: A Change of Mind_**

Samia's luck with the women's title ran out quickly. Her excitement about returning to her hometown area for a month of shows was quelled when the news was delivered that she was to face Lita for a title match their last week in the tri-state area. Until then, she was off the hook from women's matches but the hardcore wasn't off limits. Despite this, two members of the faction were always with her wherever she went at the arena. She had a classic case of paranoia with her nerves always on edge. Only a few attempts were made on the belt but her 'bodyguards' dispensed with the would-be opponents.

A little over a week before RAW was to hit Atlanta, Shawn dropped off the tapes she had requested at her apartment. Samia was bound and determined not to look like a fool in this match with Lita. The nWo still plotted to help her win but that was supposed to happen with her match with Molly and Molly literally killed her. She wanted to review all of Lita's matches so that she could get a good idea of Lita's style. The next day found her reviewing tapes of her own matches to see where she needed the most work.

When she clicked off the last tape, she was horrified at what she had just watched. She had continually "punished" Guerrero in the Singapore cane match just for revenge instead of pinning him when the opportunity arose. After winning her matches and putting her opponents in the Angel of Death, she continued to drag it on after the bell had rung. That's not counting what she had done to help the nWo on their path of destruction—the path of destruction that she had argued against avidly when she was still at RVD's side. _This isn't me, _she thought in disgust,_ What have I become? _She was staring blindly at the blank television lost in thought when the phone rang.

It was Kevin. "Ready to go? I'm on my way."

"It's still fairly early. Why so soon?" she asked, hoping to buy time to come to grips with this startling revelation.

"We've all got to get together and talk. Remember?" he asked, sounding a bit worried about her.

"Guess not. I'll be ready by the time you get here." She quietly replaced the receiver and slowly began getting ready for a weekend across the Tennessee line.

* * *

"Item one on the agenda: Who's willing to hold the hardcore belt?" Nash asked to open the informal meeting he had reminded Samia about. However, her mouth dropped wide open. 

Triple H leaned back in his chair and propped up his feet and replied, "Not me."

"Chicken," Shawn whispered, nudging his arm. Samia could only stare at the interaction. Apparently, Shawn knew as well that this "item" was on the agenda and had chosen not to tell her.

"I call it not being stupid," Hunter countered. "No offense, Samia." She couldn't reply if she wanted to.

"I'll do it if no one else wants it," Big Show added, raising his hand slightly like a kid who thought he _might _have the right answer in class.

"I know I don't want it," Kevin added. "I can't concentrate on the Undisputed if I'm working matches like that."

X-Pac finally spoke up. "I want it. I'll do it. When, where, how?"

She didn't know whether it was the anger at X-Pac wanting the belt from her or her mind finally catching up with the conversation but she jumped up from her seat and yelled at the top of her lungs, "Hell, no! There is no way I'm doing this!"

"Just listen," Shawn pleaded, putting a hand on her arm and uselessly attempting to pull her back down to her seat. "It's for your own sake."

"No!" she replied, jerking her arm away from him.

"Where have you been over the past year that you've been here? Have you not seen what these guys go through in matches? You'll have to defend it. You can't even defend the women's title. Think about it," Shawn continued. She was about to spit nails at his last comment even though she knew it was true.

"Yeah, and?"

"Do you know how paranoid you'll become?" Hunter interrupted. _Already there,_ she thought but then quickly refused to consider the rest of his explanations. "You won't be able to step foot out that door on your own without always looking over your shoulder."

"I don't care what you say," she replied to them all but then turned to squarely stare at Kevin. "I am not going to lie down so one of you can just pick up the belt like that. I refuse to be Kevin Nash and let Hulk Hogan put me out with a finger."

"Those are fighting words," Nash growled in reference to the Fingerpoke of Doom.

Samia went on right over his comment. "Did anyone ever think about asking _me_? _I _won the belt fair and square…kind of," she muttered the last two words. "Shouldn't _I_ be the one to decide whether or not I want to just give it away?"

"Alright, Samia," Kevin replied as if he really was listening to her. "You want in this? How do you _want_ to drop the belt?"

"I don't _want_ to drop the belt. I will have to eventually lose it somehow but I really haven't thought about it," she answered, more quietly this time, and sank to her seat.

"The belt's not leaving the nWo," Nash stated, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest. "It's settled then. X-Pac, you'll get the belt next week. You can either take it or it can be given to you."

Samia was almost foaming at the mouth. "But that's Atlanta. That's my _home_!" she protested.

"What's the difference? You want to _live_ to see your match with Lita?" Kevin asked.

Her response was to leave in the middle of the conversation to return to her hotel room. She was pissed. In an essence, "pissed" did not describe it. She was sick and tired of being told what to do. _All they do is tell me what to do! Samia, get this. Samia, get that. Samia, write this. Samia, pull this off. When have I ever been asked to do something or asked what I wanted? _She had no clue why she was fighting giving up the title. She had cheated to get it and, if she had thought about it, she wouldn't have even gone anywhere near Tommy Dreamer. Why did she do it? It was simply on an impulse that she rushed from that room to slam that cane repeatedly across Dreamer's body. What had driven that impulse? Greed? Glamour? And a question that need not be answered—where had she learned that greed?She reveled in the popularity she had gained from being with the nWo and she immediately realized the power she held over other people had kept her there. Her initial intentions were only revenge. She used them for revenge and to bounce back from her humiliating situation with Rob Van Dam and Eddie Guerrero. Holding the women's belt was like being on a high. Winning—or really, stealing—the hardcore belt had to be better than the best acid trip (although she wouldn't know). She figured that was what Shawn must have felt like winning the belt for the first time or when Nash won the Heavyweight belt for the first time.

Samia had thoroughly believed that she had used them to fulfill her desires and adamantly stuck by that as she stalked down the hall towards her room. On the other side of the door, that resolve fell apart as she dropped face first on the bed and began to sob at the realization that they had used her, completely used her. People were laughing at her because she was stupid enough to fall for them, not because she supposedly turned on RVD. They had made fun of her because she was stupid enough to believe that she was of worth to them._ I was a lackey! _she angrily thought._ I was basically the Disco Inferno of the nWo! "Not really valuable, but we'll find something useful for you to do so none of us have to do it." _

She couldn't believe she hadn't been paying attention and couldn't get beyond her inflated ego to see that. She violently threw her pillow across the room and then tossed the other one when that gave her no satisfaction. The woman flopped back down on the bed and cracked her forehead on the headboard, which made her cry harder. She slipped off the comforter and wobbled her way to the mirror to check the spot that she had hit. The slowly rising bump was quickly turning pink but a little rearranging of her hair would hide it. She stared at herself in the mirror to see if she could see some resemblance of the person she had been.

Her mascara was running—she didn't wear mascara until she let Shawn Michaels make her over—mixing with the kohl liner beneath her eyes. She had thought the look sexy then but now she felt like it looked as if she was begging for trouble. Her outfit didn't say otherwise either. She was anticipating a romantic evening with Shawn and had dressed as such in short, tight skirt and a midriff top. Thinking of all the dinners and evenings she had spent with him, she had to wonder if it was really all that bad and that wasn't just the sex.

For someone who had never really taken control of her life, the nWo had given her confidence. She had gone out there and kicked Guerrero's ass only months after freaking over simply punching Terri. She was named a diva and held two different belts in the WWE—cheating or not, the records couldn't be changed. The icing on the cake was that she was in a relationship with one of the most coveted men in wrestling but then her balloon was deflated again. It was any relationship at all. He didn't love her and she was simply his bed buddy. He hadn't even stood up for her during that assault on her about the hardcore belt. If they hadn't used her to be their lackey, she would have been the flavor of the month like RVD said. She had only ever told him that she loved him that one time but his response finally hit home—"You're an angel." Rolling her eyes, she shouted out in the room, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Jumping in another man's bed that quickly after another failed relationship was not her either.

Emotionally drained but physically exhausted, sleep wasn't anywhere near coming, so Samia quickly dressed to head down to the hotel's weight room. Working out would bring her physical satisfaction even if her mind was still on overload. _What do I do? What do I do?_ she asked herself in time with her rhythm on the leg press. _I just can't keep on going like nothing ever happened. There is no way I can walk in and just say "I quit."_ She pondered the thought of getting herself kicked out but that would be more humiliating than anything else she could ever go through. _I might as well be the abused wife that refuses to stand up for herself, she loves "him" but hates the abuse. _

But the abused wife always misses the good parts of the relationship—_Hunter's pranks and picking on me, _she thought with a smile,_ those teddy bear moments that the Big Show has, Nash's way of understanding personal problems and giving advice, Shawn's spontaneity and craziness and the way he can draw the best out in me, and X-Pac's energy and well, um, there has to be something else…never mind that… But I just can't stay. Is it all worth my soul? I'll just…just…_ An evil grin spread across her face as an epiphany struck.

"Samia, you'll kill yourself." She was startled when Shawn spoke and she almost dropped the barbell. He had been watching her for a few minutes and she had no clue. "You don't really think this'll help you beat X-Pac?"

"It will now," she muttered and dropped the weights.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing. I'm going to bed. Goodnight," she stated unemotionally and started to walk by him but he stopped her.

"Wait. I saw how upset you were and I wanted to make you feel better. Come back with me," he said in that tone that made her bones melt while he turned her around to face him.

Samia almost found herself saying 'yes' but quickly remembered her resolve. "I'm too tired. If you don't mind…" she replied, keeping her head down to avoid eye contact.

"But we haven't spent any time together this week. I'm starting to miss you." He lightly grasped her chin to pull her face up to meet his but the moment was broken when he exclaimed, "What happened?"

"I was so mad I walked right into the doorframe."

"Does it hurt?"

"Only if you touch it," she quickly replied as he traced a finger down her temple.

"Oh, baby, let me make you feel better," he softly said and put his palm against her cheek. Figuring this was just a ploy to later convince her to give the belt to X-Pac, she had to find a way to refuse to keep the confrontation from happening. However, she also considered the fact that he might get suspicious. With that in mind, she nuzzled into his hand and then pulled him down for a kiss.

"It's not that I don't want to. It's been a long day. There's a couple of stores that I want to hit while we're here, so I'll meet y'all at supper tomorrow. Okay, babe?"

Shawn acquiesced and she left them him standing in the weight room.

* * *

By Tuesday evening, Samia had picked up the phone to make one particular call about twenty times. After a check-up call from Shawn, one she took to quell any suspicion, she finally dialed the number with a shaky hand. "Hi, it's Samia Carlsen. I need your help…I conned your number out of one of the staff…No, I won't tattle…No, no, no, I promise…I want out of the nWo…Well, I can't do it on my own," Samia explained, a tone of sarcasm added to the last line. 

"…You're the only person left that doesn't hate me, I hope…Let me know if you have a better idea, but I thought we could work something out during the main event since the belt's on the line. I'll come in on Nash and you can call out the troops…Rob would like to get hold of them, I'm sure. If not for me, for the humiliation he's suffered…They've stepped all over _everybody_. It won't be hard for you to get some guys together…I can't talk to anybody without them getting suspicious…If this was a set-up, why would I be telling you to get back-up? I am being absolutely honest…I've really screwed up and I can't stay with them. I can't keep perpetuating something I'm not. I have to make things right and I want to start with you getting the belt back. If you ask for a no DQ, they'll agree. They don't have to hide their cheating then and we can give them a dose of their own medicine…There's something else I need to set right…"

Samia took a big breath, hoping he would believe her. "I didn't turn on Rob. I may have fully participated in the rest of who the nWo stomped on, but I didn't do that. If you get him to help, will you—will you try to talk him into listening to me just once? I'm not trying to get back at him or back with him. I just want to set things right. I've got a long list but the two of y'all are at the top…All I ask is that you try…I'll call you long about Saturday or Sunday…Sure…Yeah…I wish there was something else I could do or say…Call me at home if there's anything else…Thank you from the depths of my soul." Samia blew out a long breath that was somewhere between release and nervousness before replacing the receiver and finding herself in tears from relief and fear.

Samia was startled out of her pity party when a knock sounded at the door. Quickly wiping tears away, she answered without thinking to look through the peephole. Shawn stood in the doorway, leaning up against the frame and holding a bouquet of pink roses. Her heart stopped but she was able to hide the look of concern on her face. "Hey, Angel. Can I come in?" She pulled the door completely opened and stepped out of the way. "Kevin's got a…what's wrong? You okay?" he asked, pushing the door closed behind him.

"It's nothing I want to talk about. I'm fine, really I am," she replied, waving him off. "Just needed a good cry to be alright."

"Sure?" he asked but she nodded in answer. "I brought these for you."

"They're beautiful," she said and then inhaled the sweet scent. "I don't think I've had roses since my birthday last year. After that, if I had seen another rose any time soon, I think I would've went insane. Thank you. Let me go put them in water."

Shawn followed her into the kitchen and facetiously asked, "Does that mean you don't want any flowers next month for your birthday?" She shot an evil look over her shoulder from where she stood at the sink filling a vase with water. "Anyhow, Kevin's got a woman over and I really didn't want to go to a hotel. Can I stay with you tonight?" he asked and pulled her into his arms for a kiss.

"I…uh…" She glanced down at the flowers still in her hands that were being crushed between them. She could find no excuse that he would buy. "Yeah, you can stay. But I have to warn you that I'm having friends over tomorrow to watch SmackDown!"

"Are they nWo fans?" he asked with a crooked grin.

"What do you think?" Samia replied, carefully arranging the roses to keep from looking at him.

"Ooo, this should be fun."

"Sure," she sarcastically drawled. "I was gonna turn in for an early night. You know where everything's at, so make yourself at home while I get a shower." Samia wasn't surprised when Shawn crawled in behind her a few minutes later. When his hand slipped down her waist and his teeth found her earlobe, her brain couldn't function whatsoever to find an excuse to get him out of her shower, much more to resist him at all. That early bedtime she had spoken about went right to pot.

Samia woke before Shawn did in the morning. Instead of getting out of bed, she quietly watched him sleep, marking how his appearance still took her breath away. This would be the only time she could watch him without having to hide her emotion and she began to wonder if indeed she was making a mistake. Maybe she wasn't the flavor of the month like Rob had said. Maybe she was different, maybe she _was _the one who captured the heart of Shawn Michaels. It didn't take much to know that he treated her so much better than the previous women he had gone through like they were underwear. No matter what, she knew he _did _care but did he care in the same way she did? She considered asking him, trying to bring the subject up somehow in a veiled manner.

Samia played with a lock of his hair that fell across her pillow and wondered if he could say anything that would matter. If he said that he was madly in love with her and wanted to run away to Vegas to get married, she would definitely know that they were using her for something. If he loved her, he wouldn't let the rest of the faction run over her like they did. He wouldn't have let them gang up on her during the 'discussion' of who would hold the hardcore belt. No, she wasn't going to back out of her plans now, even if she was about to do to them what they did to others. But that was exactly why she wanted out, so she wouldn't have to do this to anyone else. However, there was no other way to leave. She ran her fingertips across his chest, savoring what could be the last time they were together. She didn't want to hurt him but, then again, she was so insignificant that she probably wouldn't be hurting any of them in the slightest.

The phone rang and Samia jumped to answer it before the shrill ringing woke Shawn up. "Hello…Hi, Jamie…Yeah, we're still on for tonight…I talked to Susan yesterday. She's bringing rolls and Kerri's bringing dessert. I've got the spaghetti. That leaves the salad to you and Mandy. I haven't talked to David…Tell him to bring whatever he wants. Bring enough for seven though…Someone…I will not tell who…There's a reason I haven't introduced you to anyone I work with, so don't get too excited…Geez! If you plan on helping me, be here at six. Yes, that someone will be here then too…No…No! See you at six." She replaced the receiver and turned over to see Shawn watching her. "Good morning. Want breakfast?" she asked. As he nodded and smiled a sleepy grin, her chest tightened at how much she didn't want to do this and at how much she needed to do this. "Good. Get up and help me."

"Glad to know I'm _someone_ and that I have to help make breakfast," he replied, rubbing his eyes and then slipping out from between the sheets nude.

"Trust me when I say it's for the better that Jamie, or any of them for that matter, don't know that you're here. We wouldn't have been able to get out of bed before all of them showed up," she replied, reaching for her robe before getting up.

As the day progressed, Shawn was making it harder and harder for her to keep with her decision. She definitely could have done without the fairly eventful trip to the grocery store though. It wouldn't have been so bad if she didn't know half the people who worked there and who immediately recognized Shawn. He reveled in the attention, so she had to drag him out of there for them to get back in time. It was even worse when all five of her friends rang the doorbell at six on the dot. Jamie had guessed right and they had come prepared for autographs with several items and cameras in hand. She thought she was going to have to find her sunglasses to get through the photo session. Even worse, HBK was enjoying himself way too much. He loved his fans and always went out of his way to accommodate them.

With all of the food dumped on her dining room table by her guests, she was left to prepare supper on her own. Every so often, one of them would drift to check on her and thank her for Shawn being over. _Not by my choice,_ but she would smile and send them back into the living room where everyone else was gathered around him and talking avidly. Maybe it was for the best that she was left alone so she didn't have to actively hide her emotions.

When supper was finally done, a terrible fight ensued as to who was sitting where. She handed Shawn a plate of spaghetti at the stove and whispered in his ear, "I told you so."

"Are you kidding? This is too much fun," he replied with a laugh. "We should have done this sooner." He settled himself at the table while Samia located extra chairs for them to crowd in around her small dining room. A roll of dice finally settled the seating arrangement because nothing else would appease adults acting like children. Samia readily took the seat farthest from him. She watched the excited interaction and wondered why exactly Shawn _was_ accommodating her friends—to keep her happy and persuade her to do what the nWo wanted?

Samia's friends finally shut up long enough to watch SmackDown, but commercials were open season on Shawn again. She took the time in the middle of the show to rinse the dishes and load them in the dishwasher. She stopped a moment to watch Shawn in the midst of her friends, her doubts erased by the image of them having a good time. _He is so good with people, _she thought,_ Look at them listening to him like they're lives depended on it. I bet he'd be the best Dad. Whoa, girl! Don't go down that avenue._ She returned to cleaning up the kitchen trying to force back the emotions rolling through her.Shawn slipped out during a match to talk to her and he caught her with tears slowly rolling down her cheeks. She was once again fighting with her decision to walk out on him.

"What is wrong, Angel? That's two times in two days that I _know _about," he said, wiping away a tear that she had missed when he sneaked up on her.

Samia immediately started digging for a lie. "My parents died about this time five years ago. Seeing moments like these really make me miss them," she explained, which wasn't too much of a lie. It _had _been five years and she _did _miss them but that was not exactly why she was tearing up. If she thought about them, she would, which was something she didn't need on top if this.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, pulling her head to his chest, and she wrapped her arms around him.

"You're so good to me…and the guys to. You don't have to do this."

He stroked her hair. "I want to. It's definitely not a problem."

"You're the best, you know? I love you." In response, he pulled her chin up to kiss her. That's when she noticed that they had an audience. All five of the attentive faces quickly turned around when her gaze caught theirs. "We're being watched," she whispered.

"So?" Shawn asked, touching his nose to hers.

"Go back in there before they die without you." He quickly kissed her before returning back to the living room.

He didn't say it back. She had tempted fate and said she loved him but he hadn't responded with anything other than a kiss. Now, she didn't worry about it. Shawn would hardly be hurt, a little embarrassed but not hurt. She _had _to leave them and little mattered now.

Well after midnight and several games of Twister later, the gang finally disappeared down her apartment hall. She was beyond exhausted and Shawn knew it. He slid in bed beside her and wrapped his arms around her. "Shawn?"

"Mmm," he sleepily answered.

"I promise to give the belt to X-Pac if you'll just wait another week. I'll do it without a problem and we'll all be happy campers."

He rose up on his elbow to look at her with a smile. "I knew you'd come around. It really is for the best."

"I know."

"We'll take care of you 'til then."

"I know." _Wouldn't do anything to let the nWo lose a precious belt, _Samia sarcastically thought but then chastised herself for the comment Either way, he wouldn't be getting the belt if she could help it. Shawn kissed her on the forehead and settled back down beside her to drift off to sleep.

TBC…


	22. The Great Wall of China

**_Chapter XXII: The Great Wall of China_**

Samia thought Monday night would never arrive. She had managed to get rid of Shawn for the weekend, pushing him back in Kevin's direction with subtle hints about them needing to make plans for this Monday and when she would drop the belt. However, the last two days were even slower. Her contact had called and everything was still on. He had found willing five guys, which made them seven strong. _Well, six and a half with me_, she derisively thought to herself.

At the arena, she was so nervous that she didn't think she would make it to the main event without vomiting. The guys had noticed too but had just chalked it up to her being paranoid about the hardcore belt, which was partially true. They seemed to have bought it and promised to stay with her every second of the night—_that made it all better_, she sarcastically thought.

After a meeting with Bischoff regarding the main event, Kevin came back into the dressing room shortly before time for his match. "The Undertaker's called for a no DQ match. I don't know what the idiot's thinking. New game plan. Shawn, Hunter, and Samia's coming with me. Big Show and X-Pac, you guys stay here and be prepared to come out if need be. Bring a chair." Her stomach did a flip when Kevin tugged at the waist of his red leather pants and said, "Let's go. Show time!"

Samia squeezed in the middle of them as they headed for the ring. Nobody would be stupid enough to attack her with them around but she was not about to take chances or give them any suspicions as to why she was hanging back. The run-down was the usual for her, the part was always the same—distract the ref on cue so the ref wouldn't interfere. _What exactly am I here for? _she asked herself,_ Absolutely nothing._

The Undertaker was already waiting for them in the ring. They took their usual place and the match commenced. This time she was waiting for another wrestler's cue.

The match went back and forth between the two with neither one of them dominating for long. Samia knew it had to be getting close to the end as both wrestlers flagged, so she leaned over to Shawn to whisper, "I'm going over."

"Good. It's time we end this match," he responded with a wink

"See ya later," she replied, smiling. Standing on the ring apron in the opposite corner, she locked eyes with the Undertaker. Nash had him staggering when he gave the signal. She was quickly up on the top turnbuckle and dropkicked Nash from behind. Taker had enough time to recover and was quickly fighting off Triple H and Shawn Michaels. She wrapped Nash's legs up for the Angel of Death, but he was too large to pull into the surfboard. She locked in hard and tried to put as much pressure on his legs as she could knowing his past knee injuries. She was about to drop his legs out of the lock when X-Pac clocked her from behind. X-Pac wasted no time in pouncing on her instead of helping the Big Show beat down the Undertaker.

The three of them didn't have time to take down the big man when Taker's back-up stampeded down the ramp. Rob Van Dam jerked X-Pac off Samia from where he was pounding her in the corner. Booker T, Goldust, and Bubba Ray Dudley took on the nWo, running them from the ring as Bradshaw and Undertaker worked Nash over. X-Pac was thrown out of the ring and Van Dam ran him halfway up the ramp. The Undertaker picked up Nash for a chokeslam, even though it wasn't necessary. The mat shook under Samia so hard she lost her balance trying to get up. As Taker pinned Nash, Bradshaw helped her up. She joined the Big Red Devil in the middle of the ring and raised his arm, the best she could, in victory. Van Dam joined him on the other side and Bradshaw on her side, arms raised together. The crowd went wild. Samia wanted to stay out there forever. Backstage was going to be a mess and she didn't want to have anything to do with it.

The nWo had taken refuge in their dressing room. Bubba Ray, Booker T, and Goldust now guarded the door. The quartet approached and the group shook hands and congratulated each other. When Nash slowly limped up, the sea of people parted to let him past because the damage had already been done. Taker pushed Samia behind him as Nash walked by, the defeated wrestler's head held high. He knocked on the door and shouted at Michaels. The heavy door then opened and Nash slid in. It shut but quickly opened again. The six men made a wall in front of Samia as a regrouped nWo filed out. X-Pac wasted no time in shouting obscenities at Samia. Shawn calmed him down and then spoke. "Samia, tell me why."

"She doesn't have to answer to you," the Undertaker growled.

"Stay out of this. It doesn't concern you," Triple H commented, returning the sneer.

"Looks like I'm into it up to my elbows," Taker replied, taking a step forward.

Samia quickly looked around and located a folding chair to stand on to answer Shawn since she couldn't see over the Great Wall of China.

"You want to know why? Take a good look at these guys."_ Interesting view. I wonder if this is how normal people look to Nash, _she thought, her train of thought slightly derailing at the feeling of power on this end of the spectrum."These guys represent those you run all over. I refuse to be a part of that."

"You didn't have a problem with that when we got you the women's title and the hardcore belt," Nash shouted back.

"I was forced into the women's title. I am basically the David Arquette of both of these belts," Samia shot back and Nash rolled his eyes at that awful memory. "I thought I was using y'all but instead you were just using me. With or without me, you would have still steamrolled the people in this business. I just made it all too easy. I'm not waiting on y'all to dump me when I can walk out on you, especially you, Shawn. The nWo always does the leaving. This time, the nWo was left. I may be some insignificant person in your lives but this moment isn't. You got screwed!" she shouted.

That was enough to start another fight. Samia quickly hopped down from her chair and folded it back up for protection. When none of the nWo could get through the wall, they backed off but not without a warning. She set the chair back up for the satisfaction of watching the faction turn away first.

Climbing back up, she found Nash staring into her eyes, his own green-gold ones penetrating the depths of her soul. "You are not worth our time. As far as I'm concerned, you don't exist. On the other hand, the hardcore belt still does. The rest of you had better watch your back. Taker, I _will_ be after _you_." The door slammed behind him.

"Guys, I don't want to be around when they leave. Can we get out of here?" Samia asked in a small voice. They all agreed and the Undertaker swung her down from the chair.

"Come with us," he said, beckoning her down the hall with him and Bradshaw. The other four guys had disappeared to their respective dressing rooms after another round of congratulations. She joined them, flanked by the two wrestlers. Bradshaw saw them back to Taker's dressing room and promised to be back shortly. Samia parked herself out of Taker's way and quietly waited. Once showered and changed, he promised her that he had something coming for her. When a knock sounded at the door, he pulled the door open to reveal Bradshaw holding her bag _and _her belts.

"How did you pull this off?" she exclaimed, taking them from him.

"I've got friends in high places," Taker answered. "And bad asses who aren't afraid of the nWo."

"You will never know how grateful I am to the both of you and the rest of the guys. I will never be able to repay you," she quietly stated, overcome with the way they had turned out.

"You can start by giving me a shot at the hardcore belt," Bradshaw replied, smiling.

"You can have it next week as far as I'm concerned," she said, returning his grin.

"Anyhow, the nWo's left, along with everybody else. They're waiting on us to shut down the place," Bradshaw stated and opened the door, gesturing for them to leave.

"Can I borrow a cell phone to call a taxi?" Samia asked apologetically after trying to use hers and finding the battery dead. "My ride has obviously left."

"How far do you live from here?" Bradshaw asked.

"Fifteen minutes this late at night."

"I'll take you," Undertaker said, digging for his keys to his rental car.

The both of them had little to say on the short trip. Samia couldn't find the best words to ask what she had wanted to know for months on end. When he pulled up in her apartment parking lot, she still hadn't figured out the right way to start, so she just jumped in. "Why did you agree to do this? Why help _me_?"

"The way you acted after you _supposedly _turned on RVD told me you didn't do it. When you would cringe any time somebody looked at you, I knew you couldn't have been the one to have done all that stuff that Benoit and Guerrero did. It wasn't right for them to beat up a woman and was even worse that they did it to get to Shawn Michaels. He's not worth it but I guess you know that now," he explained and she slightly rolled her eyes and looked away. "I was surprised when you joined up with them and a little disappointed but, when you stayed with me at the hospital, I knew you really weren't part of them. They controlled you and I knew you were going to eventually break free when I watched the tape from my match with Nash and you hesitated to interfere."

"I'm sorry I did that," she quietly apologized.

"I know. It's okay. You've made up for it."

Samia nodded in thought and he offered to take her things up. "I can handle it, really, I can. You've done enough for me tonight." The Undertaker could tell she needed to do this one simple act on her own and let her take her bags from him and start for the steps.

"Samia," he called and waited for her to stop. "Next Monday, why don't you meet me for some dinner and we'll go to the arena together? Somebody's still got to watch out for you until this whole thing dies down."

"That's too much. Really it is."

"It's no trouble. So?" he asked, refusing to move where he was leaned up against the car.

After a moment of thought, she replied, "Sure. I'll check in with you on Sunday." They nodded at each other and the Undertaker climbed into his car and sped off. He had cracked her up with his comment about Atlanta apparently not having rental motorcycles on demand. As his taillights faded in the dark, she headed up to her apartment.

Her bed was screaming her name but the flashing light on her answering machine caught her attention. Six messages were from friends. She didn't bother listening to those. X-Pac's R-rated call was immediately deleted. The last message was from Shawn.

"Angel, it's me. Sorry about that call from X-Pac." She really couldn't blame X-Pac for being mad. He was probably the smartest of all of them for not trusting her and that's not to mention that he was supposed to be handed the belt next week. "He's a little worked up. Come back, please. If you come back now, all will be forgiven. But it's your last chance." _Last chance, my butt, _she angrily thought._ No one issues ultimatums to me, now more than ever, especially from you._ "If I don't hear from you before next week, I don't plan on seeing you again. That what you want? I already miss you." _Yeah, right,_ she angrily thought. "Call me at Kevin's." _In your dreams._ She deleted the message and immediately sought out her grandmother's warm patchwork quilt, caring little if Shawn really meant what he said on the message and what agenda he had by calling her. They would never take her back and she knew it.

TBC…


	23. Let's Talk This Through

**_Chapter XXIII: Let's Talk This Through_**

The Undertaker and Samia arrived at the arena after RAW had started as a pre-caution to running into any particularly unfriendly people. Bradshaw unexpectedly met them in the parking lot and her stomach began to grow queasy at the sight of him, knowing something had gone wrong already. "McMahon's put you in a hardcore match," he said before she could get out of the car.

"Against who?"

"No clue. He didn't name anyone, only said he'd name your opponent right before the match."

Samia about peed on herself. "Oh my God! I am in soooo much trouble…I don't think it's gonna be you, Bradshaw," she apologetically replied.

Taker cut in on their conversation. "Let's get inside before someone decides to make the match out here." They agreed and he ushered them on in the building.

Samia tried to settle down and focus but just couldn't. Bradshaw gave her a few pointers, but he really only scared her more and she lamented her stupidity in taking the belt in the first place. When it was time, one of the staff came to get her. She picked up her harness holding her three Singapore canes and slipped on the fingerless gloves. It felt good to be out those tights and back into something that didn't stick to her body. Her entrance music was the last thing on her mind but she laughed when she heard "Simply Irresistible." When she had officially joined the nWo, the sound crew began using their theme song for her. Now, they had resorted to what Shawn had chosen for her first entrance since using RVD's music. They very well couldn't use Rob's theme for her either. Samia laughed, imagining the song as a little stab of retribution and wondering if Shawn was paying a lick of attention.

With her music still playing, she peeked under the ring to check on her arsenal of weapons. _This is so insane_, she thought to herself when she saw a porcelain kitchen sink. She would give up before it got that far. What kept her from giving up now was simply principle—laying down for an opponent was what the nWo had wanted her to do. Samia would be damned if she did it now. She climbed back into the ring as McMahon's music blared from the speakers, stopping her in her tracks and making her wonder if he had chosen himself as her opponent.

McMahon arrogantly stepped from behind the black curtain and announced, "I give you the next hardcore champion—Rob Van Dam!" The obscenity slipped from her mouth before she could stop it. _Please don't let him kill me, _she silently pleaded._ Please, oh, please, don't let me die today! _If anyone had a score to settle with her besides the nWo, it was him in her opinion. Rob gave her no indication as to his thoughts as he worked crowd coming down the ramp. She begged for some hint that he wouldn't beat her within an inch of her life. He wasn't the kind of person to take physical revenge against a woman but she also thought he would have at least listened to her side of the story when Adrienne and Benoit, in so many words, betrayed her. If he tried to hurt her, she would have no recourse but to fight back.

McMahon still stood at the top of the entrance and shouted down at the two of them before Rob reached the ring. "Don't for once think that I won't fire the both of you without blinking if you don't give the crowd a match."

RVD and Samia started circling each other on the mat. Her focus was drawn to the creaturely skeleton across his singlet, causing her to shiver. She twirled her canes, trying to get him to attack first. "Samia, I know you don't want this match," he calmly said, barely loud enough for her to hear over the usual crowd noise.

"No kidding. Is there by any chance we can talk this through?" she asked with a nervous laugh.

Rob didn't have time to answer as she yelled at him to look out. Steven Richards nailed Van Dam from behind with a chair. He stepped over RVD's body and swung at her but she ducked and swung at him with her canes. He instantly twirled back around and the canes shattered against the cold steel. Her instinct told her to beg for mercy and then run, even though the smart thing would be to just let him pin her. She turned to run but immediately fell to the ring after being smacked by Richards with his chair. She was barely conscious through the three count. Richards grabbed the belt and was gone before Rob picked himself up off the mat. She started pulling herself up on the ropes but Rob was immediately at her side, helping her to her feet.

"You okay?" he asked.

"As best as one can be after eating cold steel. You?"

"Yeah, I'm cool, just the usual," he replied, smiling through the pain of chairshot.

"The next time, when I say 'look out,' I really mean it," she replied, wincing and rubbing her lowerback from where the chair had hit her.

"Your smart-aleck comments are something that I've not missed," he replied, helping her down off the ring apron.

"Glad to know I'm loved," she sarcastically commented.

"Whatever." He smiled and gave her a one-armed hug before they headed up the ramp and the crowd exploded in cheers. _One minute they hate me, the next minute I'm alright. Can't believe they would actually want to see me and Rob reconciled, _she thought with Rob's arm around her back as support._ I'm just as fickle too._

Booker T and Goldust met them at the entrance. "The nWo's coming," Booker warned. "I suggest y'all split." RVD and Samia quickly took another route back to the Undertaker's dressing room where he was leisurely taking his time to get ready.

"Listen to these idiots," Taker said, as they came in the door. "They really think they're scary. Triple H is out there wielding a sledgehammer again. Like I've not seen worse. I don't think they know when to quit."

"Not that I don't believe you're quite capable, but please be careful," Samia replied, peeling off her gloves and the long-sleeved t-shirt to reveal a tank-top. "I practically lived with them for far too long. It's almost impossible to know when they're being serious."

"I've worked with them far longer. They're just running their mouths. Wait until someone else steps on their toes. I'll be the last thing on their minds," the Undertaker explained.

"I hope it's soon but I don't think I can run from them for long," Samia sighed and plopped down in a chair.

"Not to cut you down, but they didn't even mention you," the red-headed wrestler replied.

"Fine by me. All the same. If…well, _when_ I lose to Lita, I want out. McMahon's so pissed at me, he'll let me out."

"Why do you want out?" Taker looked at her curiously.

"Why? Duh. I'm out here on my own with a mile of pissed off people behind me. I never wanted to wrestle. Every once and a while is fine but every week is not for me. I was happy the way I was before all hell broke loose. We all know we can't turn back time. It ain't gonna happen."

"I don't think you're on your own," Taker cut in. "Just open your eyes and look around you." He said nothing else in way of explanation as picked up his belt and headed out the door.

"Okay," she drawled out once he was gone.

"He's got a point—" The knock on the door interrupted Rob. Bradshaw stuck his head in.

"I guess that title shot's out," he said with a laugh.

"Sorry. That one took us all by surprise," Samia apologized.

"It's okay. See ya next week." He waved and disappeared.

"See, chica?" Rob asked. She didn't respond because she wasn't sure that she wanted to see the obvious. They returned to watching the main event—Brock Lesnar vs. the Undertaker.

"How much you want to bet the nWo interferes?" Samia asked to alleviate the painful silence between them.

"I'll bet you a meal after the show."

"You're on," she replied and held out her hand to shake on it.

The match was intensely close between the Big Red Devil and the Next Big Thing. Samia and Rob both cringed on several occasions when they thought Lesnar had him, even if it meant RVD lost the bet.

"There they are," the wrestler stated. "Do you have psychic abilities?"

"No, I just know them more than I want to," Samia replied and then added when the carnage began to ensue, "But we might want to go out and help…Or maybe not." Lesnar leveled Michaels and Nash, which gave Taker enough time to recover and fend off Triple H. Taker chokeslammed Shawn and then turned to lock eyes with Lesnar and nod. Simultaneously, Lesnar F-5'ed Triple H and Taker powerbombed Nash. "Poetry in motion…" the ex-valet trailed off, in awe of the strength exhibited in the ring. "You owe me food!" she suddenly exclaimed, remembering their bet.

"Fair and square," Rob replied.

After the Undertaker had returned and the nWo had gone, the former couple sought out a Waffle House. Samia justified the indulgence of the greasy joint since it was food won off a bet. "Rob, you didn't have the intention of killing me out there tonight, did you?" she asked, curious to know what he was thinking when named her opponent.

"No, what made you think that?" He thought he knew the answer but wanted to make sure he was right.

"That's a no-brainer," she replied with a shrug, "Perfect time for revenge."

"I thought you might react that way," he said and then stopped to murmur a 'thanks' to the server for bringing their drinks and let her know they weren't ready to order yet. "I wasn't sure if you still hated me, so I was gonna feel you out, see what we could agree to in the middle of the match. That kind of got screwed up."

"You weren't gonna _take_ the belt?" Samia asked, her mouth slightly agape.

"Trust me. I wanted to. I knew X-Pac would be on you like a chicken on a junebug." She almost giggled when she heard him use that phrase. He had laughed at her every time she had said it.

"When it all goes South…" she muttered to herself.

"What?" He looked at her, baffled.

"Nothing a Northerner would understand. Go on."

He paused but then continued. "Anyhow, I knew if I tried to take it, you would literally kill me with those Singapore canes."

"Quite possibly, but only because I was thinking you'd hurt me."

"That's it. I didn't want to hurt you but I didn't want X-Pac to either."

"What spawned this moment of mercy and grace?"

Rob shrugged his shoulders. "I have my reasons…" The server interrupted to take their orders. When she left, the two of them stared at the table in an awkward stillness, both mentally searching how to bring up what they both knew was on each other's minds. Rob cleared his throat and sliced the thick air of silence. "Um, Taker told me in Atlanta that you wanted to talk to me. I guess, now's a good a time as ever."

"Yeah, it's about what I've been trying to tell you for months on end," she replied, having to take a quick drink to soothe her suddenly dry throat.

"I knew that's what it was," Rob responded, guilty looking away and then focusing back on her. "I, uh, I watched the tape from that night, you know, when, uh, well, you know. I, uh, overreacted. I didn't trust you like I should have. The least I could have done was listen. Since I was, um, kind of at fault there too, it helped get me past you jumping on the nWo bandwagon." He finished by looking down at the table and then picking at his nails.

"Whoa, hold on a minute there," she defensively remarked and he quickly looked up at her. He may have just basically confessed he had been in the wrong but then nullified it with the last comment. "I didn't _jump_ on the nWo _bandwagon_ until you jumped on the Adrienne Bradley…bicycle."

"Bicycle? I don't wanna know where that came from. Anyhow, I never really got on the…bicycle, as you call it."

"Sure looked like it to me."

"She wouldn't leave me alone," Rob replied, a slight hint of exasperation in his voice. "I needed a pick-me-up and she seemed to care and then she just attached herself to me. I tried everything to get you out of mind. I even tried to hate you. I will never forget your face when you walked off the first time you saw us together. I couldn't cave in. I had to try to keep hating you. Adrienne was a start. It was a short fling that was fun while it lasted until she decided just one guy wasn't enough for her. So, while you were wrapped up with those guys, I finally got rid of her."

"Really? I knew I hadn't seen her around you much in a while. I hadn't really noticed," she lied. As far as she knew, no one but the photographer was aware of what went down at the calendar shoot.

"Well, you were a little too, how should I put it, _busy_ to find that out," he accused. However, there was no hint of anger in his voice at her. _You don't have a clue how busy I was when you ended it_, she thought to herself, feeling a little guilty that she put him through that ordeal in the hotel hallway.

"Look," she said, putting her hands on the table as if to offer everything up. "I really don't have an excuse. I wasn't gonna run out with my tail tucked between legs. I wanted my revenge. I just enjoyed it way too much and it snowballed from there. Now I'm trying to turn my world back right side up."

Rob nodded in reply, not really sure what to say. He was grateful to see the server heading their way with plates of food. They finished the rest of their meal and only exchanged small talk.

With clean plates and empty glasses, Rob could think of nothing else to say but what the Undertaker had asked him to pass along, which he agreed with. "After Monday, don't just leave. Make sure this is what you want to do. Meet me in Columbus before the show. Me, Bradshaw, Taker, we'll watch out for you. I'm not saying you're helpless but you're right about a long line of people possibly lining up to take their chance at a swing."

"I hope to get to them before they get to me," she sighed, digging into her pocket for cash.

"Are you going back to Atlanta tonight?"

"Yeah. I know it's late, but I don't want to stay here. I should be going. Call me and we'll make some plans. What do I owe?" she asked, picking up the bill.

"I lost. Remember? Get on out of here, it's a long drive. Be careful. Talk to you later."

"Same to you," Samia replied and he quickly hugged her before she left.

The trip home was lonely and long but she needed the time to think. _What's the difference in giving up now and giving up after that very unfortunate run-in with Benoit's Singapore cane? _she thought. _Maybe a lot more stupidity then. Maybe there is no difference. I've been through too much to go back home to a nine-to-five job in a stuffy office. But I value my health too. Maybe Bradshaw and Undertaker's on my side. I know I can trust them. Taker's one of the most respected wrestlers in the organization. I don't think I can live with the 'what if.' _She rubbed the sleeve of her long-sleeved t-shirt across her nose to quell an itch and inhaled Rob's cologne from their hug. Little butterflies began to flutter to keep her awake through the rest of the drive. She then began to wonder if there was any chance for the two of them again. He was like a first love and the feeling would never go away no matter what. _Shawn and Adrienne **are** out of the picture, _she thought with a grin._ Maybe we could set the two of them up…_

TBC…


	24. Maybe, Maybe Not

**_Chapter XXIV: Maybe, Maybe Not_**

"Here we are. Where it all officially started," Samia said, standing in the parking lot of the arena in Macon and sweeping her eyes over the building.

"I almost forgot," RVD replied. "You've come a long way. So quiet and shy and now—"

"A bitch?" she asked, looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"Well, I was looking for a better term," Rob sheepishly shrugged.

"Thanks," she replied sarcastically.

"You remember how I had you so scared about coming out to the ring with me?"

"No kidding. Now I'm a mean, lean, Singapore cane wielding machine," she replied, hefting the harness up from the trunk.

"You know, I didn't know you could do that."

"I didn't either until Shawn and Kevin set me up," she added, shrugging her shoulders. "Let's quit reminiscing in the parking lot and go on in before something happens that we don't want."

Samia gratefully accepted Rob's help in getting ready and willingly helped him for his match before hers. It was almost like old times and he thought so as he started to ask her to come out with him but then changed his mind because he didn't want to break her focus, knowing she was serious about this match with Lita. He finally admitted to himself that wasn't the real reason he didn't ask her—he really didn't know what she was thinking about the two of them and didn't want to push her too far too fast. They passed each other in the hall as she made her way to the entrance and he returned to the dressing room.

"Good luck," he said, squeezing her shoulder.

"Thanks," she demurely replied, hearing her music begin. Heading out to her fate, she thought of how she should change her music to keep from agonizing on the match.

In the ring, Samia offered her hand to Lita, who returned the handshake before backing off to size her up. The two locked up but Lita overpowered her and threw her into a hip toss. She came off the ropes to clothesline Samia. Lita climbed the ropes for a swanton bomb but Samia barely got out of the way. She rolled her up for a two count. Lita kicked out and Samia pulled her up to apply an abdominal stretch on her. Lita finally broke the hold and maneuvered her into a headlock before executing a DDT. Somehow Samia kicked out of the pin. Lita pulled her up off the mat but she put some jabs into her stomach. She jerked her into an armbreaker and then decided to put the facebreaker on her. It wasn't enough to get the pin. She pulled Lita up but Lita turned around on her and brought her down with a backbreaker. Lita bounced off the ropes but Samia got a drop toe hold on her. She pulled her up for a couple of armbreakers before Lita reversed her next one and pulled Samia into one. She threw Samia into the turnbuckle and executed a bronco buster. Lita dragged Samia back into the middle ring and went up for a moonsault. It was over as quickly as it had begun. Lita accepted the belt but then helped Samia up.

"Glad to have you back on our side," the redhead said, hugging Samia before the two walked out together to be met in the hallway by RVD.

"Good job, ladies," he said by way of greeting.

"You have to admit I'm getting better," Samia proudly replied. "Lita didn't squash me like Trish or Molly."

"You didn't give me a chance." Lita laughed.

"Now you're just trying to make me feel better," the blonde replied.

"Honest truth," the new women's champion said defensively with a smile. "I hate to go but Matt is waiting for me. He promised me something special if I won."

"Enjoy!" Samia smiled at her and wished she had someone special to go back to. "I need to crash. I'm going back."

"I'll go with you," Rob offered and Samia tried not to read anymore into the statement than he probably meant.

Showered and dressed, she asked if he was going to watch the rest of the show with his friends. "Not yet," he replied. "I have something for you." Her face gave away her cluelessness. "I found something a while back that belongs to you. I thought you might want it back." He pulled something from his pocket and reached for her hand, dropping a tiny silver ring in her palm. She looked back up at him shocked. "Before you think something you shouldn't, I found it about three months ago in a side pocket of my gym bag when I washed it."

She slipped the ring back to its rightful place and admired it for a moment. "Thank you and I really mean it too."

"I couldn't just throw it away and I definitely didn't want to intrude upon you and Shawn. So, I just hung on to it. Kind of glad I did."

After a moment of silence, she blurted out, "You waited that long to wash _that_ bag. That is disgusting!" In a joking manner, she brought her hand up to her nose to act like she was smelling the ring.

"Very funny," he replied, heading for the door.

"You weren't kidding when you told me you _needed_ a valet when we first met."

He immediately stopped and turned around to ask, "You offering?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe, maybe not…Wanna go watch the rest of RAW?"

"Why not?"

"No good reason."

The two of them gathered around a monitor with a few of his friends. With Rob in their presence, no one made any objections to Samia's presence. "Are we on the main event yet?" Rob asked, taking up a chair.

"Yeah, Lesnar is killing Triple H," Jeff Hardy answered, enthusiastically.

"Ooo, let me see," Samia said, crowding in. Lesnar executed an F-5 and was about to go for the pin. As if on cue, the rest of nWo appeared from out of nowhere. Nash pulled Lesnar off of Triple H and then began to pound him.

"Never mind," Jeff added, dejectedly. The bottle blonde was about knocked out of his chair as Bradshaw ran by and then red and black streaked by, signaling the Undertaker joining in.

"This is not good," Samia muttered under her breath. RVD wasted no time following in their footsteps, work-out pants, tennis shoes, and all. _I can't believe I'm doing this_, Samia thought to herself as slipped from the crowd, tugging at her own jeans and muttering about not being dressed for the occasion. The impromptu battle royal was slowing down by the time Samia got there with her Singapore canes but she jumped full force into the middle of the fight. Within moments, there seemed to be no one left. She searched for her next victim and turned to see Shawn holding a chair and staring at her. They circled the ring, sizing each other up. She didn't bother to push her hair out of her eyes as she glared at him. A knife couldn't have cut the tension or the unflinching stares of each. "You know you want to. Get it over with," she said through clenched teeth. "Because if you don't, I will."

"You wouldn't. You still love me. Admit it," he replied, shaking the chair as if to threaten her.

"In your dreams. I only thought I did. So much for that notch in your belt…I'm tired of talking. Do it." She swung at him and he jumped back. He returned the swing half-heartedly to drive her back but then dropped the chair. After that, he slid out of the ring, dragging Triple H with him, and the rest of the nWo followed suit. Before she knew it, she was surrounded by the rest of the men left on the floor. The celebration began with the Undertaker and Brock Lesnar in the middle of it all.

RVD hugged her and then swung her around. "You want your job back?" he asked, setting her back down. The question caught her off guard.

Oblivious to everything else in the ring, she could only reply with a smile, "Let's talk." Rob laughed and picked her back up in a hug.

Backstage, Shawn was on edge as he paced the room. "Tell me why I care? Someone explain to me why any of this matters to me?" The rest of the guys just let him rant as they milled about the room getting ready to leave. "Am I taking crazy pills? Why should any of this bother me? It's like biting the hand that feeds you—I'm the hand! We made her! She got the status that she did because she was on _my_ arm!" He picked up a pillow off the couch and violently threw it across the room. At this, they all stopped to look at him. "You know, it's her loss…" he said, his tone less angry but then his voice grew loud again. "So, tell me again, why do I care?"

"Did you have a dog growing up?" Nash calmly asked. Shawn gave him the look of 'where are you going with this?'

"You know how attached you got to that dog? You fed him every day—"

"_Her_," HBK interrupted.

"Okay, _she_ slept at your feet every night. She was always there when you got home from school. Then one day, she wasn't there. Yeah, you were bothered for a few days because that little crutch wasn't there anymore, but then something else occupied you and, in the grand scheme of things, you realized it just didn't matter."

Shawn stared off thoughtfully into space for a minute. "Alright, _maybe_ you've got a point." _Maybe_, he thought as he gathered his things together to leave.

TBC…


	25. When Life Gives You Limes

**_Chapter XXV: When Life Gives You Limes_**

"King, here we are again at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta for non-stop live WWE action. Our main event is going to be spectacular! Brock Lesnar is looking to hold the title for a second time by going up against the Undisputed champion, The Rock."

"This is going to be awesome, J. R. Can The Rock hold on to the belt or will Lesnar once again have the gold around his waist?"

"I'm putting my money on Brock."

"Yeah, right. The Rock is going to whip his ass from one end of the ring to the other," Lawler cackled.

"Also later in the show, we'll see Molly Holly and Victoria vying for the women's belt against the women's champion, Jazz, in a triple threat match, King."

"I can't wait for that one, J. R."

"You never can. On the other hand, tag-team champions Kevin Nash and Scott Hall will be putting the belts on the line against two yet to be named wrestlers," Ross explained. "We have an inter-gender tag-team match coming up first. RVD and Samia will take on Trish Stratus and Bubba Ray Dudley. King, do you realize it's been a year since Samia's run with the nWo ended here in this very place?"

"She was with the nWo?"

"You are an idiot," J. R. mumbled. "She's earned quite a bit of respect as a part of a tag-team and as an occasional singles competitor since then. I hope the nWo keep their noses where they belong this early on in the show."

"I doubt they'll bother, J. R. Since Scott Hall's return, they have done nothing but focus on The Rock and the Undisputed belt. The gold is all they seem to care about."

* * *

Samia gritted her teeth against the pain in her twisted arm. She was contemplating her escape but the wrestler was too tall and too wide, i.e. way too strong for her to fight. She would just have to forfeit this match, a match that was not worth getting her arm broken over. Every time she had pulled against his grip, he only twisted her wrist around tighter. Now, the valet-cum-wrestler was being led down a deserted hall with no inkling of what was going to happen. He may have been a massive wrestler but she knew where his jewels were hidden and nothing would stop her if he let her go. 

Bubba Ray Dudley stopped before a maintenance closet and dangled keys in front of her face. "You can try everything but you can't get out," he said with a sneer. "Scream all you want but nobody'll hear." He jerked the door open and shoved her inside face first.

Samia was relieved that this was all he was going to do with her and she was physically safe. However, being locked in a small closet was hardly the next best thing. She immediately began to jerk around to try the doorknob anyhow but a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to the person's body.

"Charlotte," a male's voice whispered and then lips descended upon hers.

Over a year ago, she would have melted but that was hardly the case anymore now that she was definitely and loyally with Rob Van Dam. She pushed hard at the wide, muscular chest and jerked her head away. "Shawn Michaels?"

"Mia?"

"What the hell—" they both began at the same time but Shawn beat her to the next words. "What the hell are _you_ doing in my closet?"

"_Your _closet? You think I asked Bubba Ray to stuff me in here? I wouldn't be surprised if you two set me up!" Samia yelled back but then gasped. "Oh my god, you did!" She jerked around and began banging against the door and jerking on the handle, screaming bloody murder. She had no idea what his plans were with her as the last time they actually spoke was a year ago and they were both making threats at each other. She beat against the metal door until the bones ached in her hands and arms and her voice was beginning to crack. When she could pound the door no longer, she realized that Shawn hadn't made one move against her. She couldn't see but could still feel his presence there. "Oh god, please don't hurt me," she whispered, leaning up against the door and then sliding down it to sit on the floor. She wrapped her arms around her raised knees and hoped for the best.

"God? Now that's something you never called me in bed. I was quite disappointed," he replied, fumbling around in the dark and stepping on her feet.

"Ouch, dammit!"

"Sorry," he mumbled. "At least I know where you're at now." He edged down beside her on the floor, their shoulders, hips, and legs touching. She tried to scoot over away from him but there was nowhere to go.

"Does Charlotte call you 'god'?" she bit out. "Is she your new flavor?" Samia had counted four different women that Shawn had been seen with on a semi-regular basis since she betrayed him. Charlotte was number five.

"Why? You jealous?" he returned in the same tone of voice. Samia huffed out a breath but didn't verbally respond. "RVD not giving you what you need? You shouldn't have left me," he continued in an 'I told you so' manner.

"Don't you dare," she warned.

"What are you gonna do? Put me in a headlock?" he derisively asked. Samia made a frustrated noise but said nothing.

They sat in silence for a while, neither one willing to speak to the other. After Shawn had shifted uncomfortably for what felt like the umpteenth hundred time, Samia turned her head towards him even though she couldn't see him. "How are we getting out of here?"

"Your guess as is good as mine," he replied, his tone much softer now. "You were always the brains of our outfit."

"Maybe you should have treated me that way," she responded under her breath.

"Yeah, well, we made a mistake there, didn't we?"

"Was that sarcastic?" she defensively demanded.

"No, but I can make it that way," he angrily replied.

"Sorry. I didn't exactly treat y'all all that great either," she quietly stated and could feel the look of shock on Shawn's face.

They once again slipped into a long silence but, this time, Samia began to shift uncomfortably. "I know you know why I left the nWo but do you know why I betrayed _you_?"

"Same reason."

"You know I loved you, or at least that I thought I did?" she asked and Shawn replied with a noncommittal noise. "I know things ended on a really bad note but that doesn't mean I hated you or anything." She could feel him shift his legs and wondered if it was due to physical or mental discomfort.

"If you didn't hate me or thought you loved me, why did you leave me?" he angrily asked.

"Because you didn't love me and you never would. I was tired of being one woman in a long line of them."

"I didn't cheat on you," Shawn blatantly replied.

"No but you might as well have. I played second fiddle to rest of you guys but that's beyond the point. I realized the nWo was manipulating me and that made me realize I couldn't stay in a dead-end relationship."

"You _do _realize that you did to us exactly what you said you were standing against by betraying us?" he asked with contempt.

"Yeah," she whispered. "I wasn't wrong in why I left but maybe I was wrong in how I left. I guess I should have tried a different approach."

"Yeah, maybe so."

Samia bristled at his comment. She was apologizing for how she left him and he was agreeing with her that she wrong instead of accepting her apology. "What else do you want?" she bitterly asked, "Me on my hands and knees begging your forgiveness for simply bruising your pride? Looks like y'all got over me real fast. What was the first girl's name—Bella? And then there was Cassie and Delilah, am I right?"

"Where you stalking me? Keeping track?" he asked with surprise.

"Okay, look, I felt guilty. I felt really bad for dumping you like that. I can't believe I'm confessing this," Samia sighed, "but it took a lot to get over you…and all the other guys too and I thank god that I had Rob there. You guys were my family, Hunter and Kevin the brothers I never had. I was going to self-destruct staying with y'all but I hurt like hell for months afterward. But, of course, I paid attention to what was going. Plus, I had to keep an eye out for y'all in case you tried to get revenge."

"You were that scared of us?"

"I think you asked me that question once before and the answer's the same," Samia replied with a tinge of anger in her voice.

"Well, if we're confessing here…" Shawn began with a deep breath, "I don't hate you over leaving us. Yeah, my pride was damaged and Bella _was_ a rebound relationship. I guess we should have tried listening to you. Maybe…maybe things would have turned out differently."

"Yeah, maybe."

They were both quiet for a moment and then Shawn asked, "Did we just apologize to each other?"

"Yeah, I think so," she replied with a small laugh.

"Which means we can quit glaring at each other in the hall now?"

"I don't think so."

"What?" he spluttered. "I just basically said I'm sorry for using you and we can't make-up."

"Whoa, hold your horses. If anybody finds out what happened in this closet, do you realize the backlash that'll happen? I will _never_ be trusted again. Rob'll think I've betrayed him again. That is _not _going to happen."

"Calm down," Shawn forcefully replied. "You've got a point."

"Thank you. But everybody's still going to think the same thing when we're found here."

"You gotta point there too," he replied with a shrug that she could feel. They lapsed into silence again. "I could claim I kidnapped you and brought you here to do unspeakable acts to you." She could feel that lascivious grin again.

"No good. Bubba Ray will claim he brought me here and it'll still look the same. Plus, Rob would attack you with a vengeance."

"I haven't had a satisfying feud in quite a while," Shawn replied as if he was talking about the weather.

"Shawn," she angrily said and slapped at him, making contact somewhere on his thigh, but then burst out laughing.

"Samia," he mocked and slapped back. When their laughter subsided, he lightly chuckled and said, "Oh, the trouble we used to get into together. Doesn't look we have to be actually be together to get _into _trouble."

"Yeah," she replied with a chuckle of her own.

"Do you remember the Jimmy Buffett concert?"

"Oh my god, how could I forget the trouble we got in there!" she exclaimed and burst out laughing. "Oh and when we—"

From there, the two of them digressed into reminiscing and lot of laughter.

* * *

Rob Van Dam was very unhappy with the situation and very unhappy with himself. He had committed an act with which he vowed he would never do—he physically hurt a woman…sort of. In his mind, he might as well have. Little did he know that he had twisted Trish Stratus' arm in the same manner that Bubba Ray had twisted Samia's. She was quick to give up the information when she was in danger of having a bone broken. He resorted to violence when an hour and a half of searching and asking got him nowhere. 

Now, he was barreling down the hall with a maintenance man in tow. Unfortunately, he had acquired a camera crew as well. After hurting a woman, he wasn't about to hurt the somewhat innocent cameraman. "Open it up…" RVD ordered the maintenance man and then added softer, "please."

The keys jangled in the lock and it wasn't opening as fast as RVD wanted. He knew something was wrong when the man hurriedly shuffled backward. Rob's jaw dropped open when he saw Shawn Michaels pinned against the wall of the closet by a metal broom that Samia was shoving against his chest. RVD quickly pulled her out and shoved her behind him. She would have preferred a little cooing, 'oh, baby, are you alright?", and a little hug but he was a man afterall.

"Shawn," a voice called out, "so that's where you've been."

They all turned to see Scott Hall ambling down the hall with the nWo following behind. Samia wanted to smack Rob's 'just try me today' look off his face. If she could change one thing about him, it would be his 'take on the whole world because I can even though I'm outnumbered four billion to one' attitude. The nWo had given them both no trouble since her break with them but that didn't mean Rob wasn't willing to start or finish something with them.

"You knew she was here all along?" RVD angrily asked.

"_She_ was missing all night, _he_ was missing all night," Scott replied, holding out his hands and shrugging his shoulders. "Thanks for finding him, super sleuth."

For show, Samia shook the broom at Shawn as he edged out of the closet. HBK had actually been willing to let his pride be bruised just a little bit more to keep the speculation at a minimum and no one outside of that closet would ever know that he had been the one to suggest the broom/weapon episode.

When Samia emerged from behind Rob to 'threaten' Shawn, Scott exclaimed, "The infamous Mia! Miss September herself!" Hall had been back for about a month and two of those weeks she had spent on vacation. In the short time, their paths had not crossed. "Good to finally meet you, toots!"

"Likewise," she replied, ignoring his extended hand.

"Here, sign my calendar, since next month is September and all," he stated, pulling the rolled up calendar from his back pocket. She looked at him funny until he shoved it and a pen in her hands. As she flipped through it, she noticed some of the divas had already signed it but Adrienne's autograph was absent from their picture. "You know, it's a shame you left. We could have had some fun together," he continued as she handed him the calendar and pen back.

Rob instinctively put his arm around her shoulders and drew her back against his chest. "Well, you know, things happen, loyalties shift, some friendships broken, some mended…and all that sappy stuff in between," she said with a shrug.

"Yeah, when life gives you limes, make margaritas," Hall replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Triple H snickered after Scott's comment. "Hunter, did you tell?"

"Tell? Tell what?" he asked and quietly laughed as he began to slowly backpedal down the corridor.

"Samia, tell what?" RVD asked.

"Another time, another place, hon," Samia said dismissively with the wave of her hand.

"Well, thanks again for finding him, Sooby-Doo," Hall said, wrapping an arm around Shawn's shoulders and shaking him. "See you 'round, chick."

Rob started to move after him but Samia put a hand out to stop him. "It's not worth it. How many times do I have to tell you that?" she whispered.

"'Till the next time we meet in a maintenance closet, Angel," Shawn called out as the five men actually turned their back on the couple and headed down the hall in the direction from which they had come. That was what he had said to her right before the closet door had been opened. It was their codeword, their pact. Everything would be alright at least between the two of them.

"You okay, babe?" Rob asked, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

"Yeah. Just a little tired from holding Shawn off with a broom for what felt like hours."

"Sorry. I tried so hard to find you," he replied, nuzzling her neck.

"I know," Samia relied and patted his hand that rested on her chest.

"Soooo…what's this about margaritas?"

"Did you know that you can't set shots of tequila on fire?"

_**FINI!**_

**

* * *

Author's Notes:** It's finally over! Thank you to everyone who has stayed with me until the end. Once again, a special thanks to all of those who have reviewed: LeelooJinn, JohnnyDeppFan, Shadow, Sparks, Earendel, AnimeWitch02, EdGeHeAdV1, Alisha, dragonmage5, FunkyinFishnet, pixygrl101, LittleKnux2008, Carrieanne, Eternal Sailor Serenity, Kora, Sharnhorst, Sugarshanesgirl, Aspiring Actress, Kora Flair, and Latisha C. I'm glad to not be worrying over it all but I'm sad that it's all over. I wish I could have kept going with everyone's suggestions, but then it would have probably turned into something unmanageable if it ended up being that looooong. 

I have had interest expressed in a sequel by several people and have granted the request. _Loyalty of Friendship_ is now up and I would love to know what you think.

Also, _Playing Charades_ iscomplete and the sequel is being posted. Whilethey have nothing to do with this fic, I still wouldn't mind the comments.

Thanks again to all my reviewers. If someone is just now reading this, thanks for getting this far and don't be afraid to review. Thanks!


	26. Random Missing Scene 1

**Random Missing Scene 1**

_This scene corresponds with chapter eleven. Samia wakes up in Shawn Michaels' room with a hangover and can't remember anything past her second margarita the night before, which was her first night out with the nWo after Benoit and Guerrero set her up and RVD dumped her. Shawn jokingly tells her that she almost got them kicked out because she set shots of tequila on fire. He then confesses that she only tried to set them on fire. This is the scene surrounding the tequila/fire incident._

Samia twirled the paper umbrella that she had taken out of her drink a few moments ago. She tossed it and it skidded across the table to land in Shawn Michaels' lap. He picked it up to glance over at Kevin Nash, seated beside him. "I think she's hit the quiet stage," Shawn stated, hardly masking his voice so Samia wouldn't hear. "At least we're past the giggly stage."

"I think there's something else left in her. Order a couple more shots of tequila and watch," Kevin said with a smirk, holding up his hand to get the server's attention.

Samia was now twirling the straw in the class, wondering what exactly the flavor was. She could distinctly remember her first drink, a strawberry margarita. She was not a drinker by any means. Beer was just disgusting and there were only a handful of other drinks she had tried. Margaritas were the only thing she really liked and, then, she had never drunk more than two at one time. One made her legs feel fuzzy and two made her giggly. That was true for this night as well.

Hunter had caught on and began making up jokes that made no sense just to make her laugh. At this point, he was usually back in his room with a girl whose name he didn't know but this time he was only dancing provocatively with three girls whose names he didn't know. X-Pac was nowhere to be found and no one seemed to worry. The Big Show had a booth of his own, surrounded by at least three women at all times. It took so much to get him drunk that Kevin and Shawn were usually so far gone by the time he was anywhere close, the two relied on him to keep them out of trouble. Tonight, though, Samia was more entertaining than getting drunk. That's exactly why Kevin was ordering more shots. She wouldn't remember anyhow, he justified.

Samia was staring into her drink as if it was the most mystifying thing in the world. She remembered the second margarita as being peach but whatever this was didn't taste like either peach or strawberry. What was even more confusing was how she got beyond two drinks—or was it three now? Maybe four? She leaned over and stuck out her tongue to pull the straw into her mouth. The straw wasn't where she thought it should be and she wiggled her tongue around to find it. Shawn and Kevin started laughing, but, in this place, she couldn't be sure it was them. The woman looked up at them but they were straight-faced by the time her eyes focused on the pair. She gazed back into the glass and tried to remember what she was doing. Finally, she pinched the straw to keep it still and carefully sipped the last of the drink. The blonde laid aside the straw as if she was about to perform brain surgery and then tipped the glass up, letting the last of the liquid slide down and into her throat. She banged the bottom of the glass to make sure it was all gone.

"Need another one, miss?" the server asked, taking the glass from her.

Samia squinted up at her, even though there were no bright lights. "What flavor was that?"

"Mango."

"Oh, then, I guess…" Her gaze dropped back down at the table and she stared at the two empty shot glasses that were there.

"I'll get those out of your way too."

"Did I drink those, too?" she asked, her head lolling back up at the server.

"Maybe you've had—"

"Those shots of tequila, ma'am," Nash interrupted, "did you bring those?"

"Yeah, here they are," she replied, setting each of them down before Shawn and Kevin. "A glass of water for the lady?" the woman turned to Samia, who was now engrossed with her straw by folding and unfolding it.

"Yes, thank you," Shawn answered for her.

Now that the question of the mango flavored frozen drink was solved and nothing else was available to drink, Samia's mind was running over everything that had happened the night before. There was something elusive about the situation, something that she should be able to put her finger on but it was just barely beyond her reach. With a big sigh, the former paralegal stuffed the plastic straw into her mouth and began chewing on it like a farmboy with a piece of hay. Wasn't drinking supposed to drown her sorrows? Maybe she hadn't had enough to drown out the heartache over Rob Van Dam.

"Did I drink those shots?" she asked Kevin and Shawn, pointing to where the server had disappeared.

"No, did you want'em?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah," Samia answered, immediately reaching for the one Kevin was pushing towards her. She tossed it back as if she had always been taking shots, to which Shawn and Kevin were impressed. They were amazed she had been able to hold so much liquor, with only one trip to the restroom and upright all the way to boot. However, her face screwed up and she quickly reached for the limes on the plate, sucking on two before realizing that they weren't really helping much.

"Hey, Mia, what'cha drinking _now_?" Hunter asked, sliding into the booth and putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Tequila," she proudly answered with a wide smile as he took a drag on the cigar that was dangling from his mouth.

"Did I tell you about that joke where this chicken crossed—" Hunter trailed off when he noticed that she wasn't paying much attention to him. Her eyes were completely focused on the bartender across the way, who was lighting four Flaming Jesus' in succession. She glanced at the four remaining shots of tequila, back at the flaming drinks, and then to the cigar in Hunter's mouth. He started to say something else but her eyes followed the path once more.

"Do you have the thing," she pointed at the cigar, "you know, the, uh, thing that makes fire?"

Hunter chuckled and began reaching into his pocket and handed her the cigarette lighter. Shawn shook his head and reached out to take the lighter from her but Kevin put a hand on his forearm to stop him. "Let's just watch," he said.

With her tongue stuck out of the corner of her mouth, Samia carefully tested the lighter to see if it would light. At first, she dropped it when it burned her thumb, not even enough to leave a mark. Satisfied that it would work, she flicked it on again, holding it up and staring at it for a moment. Releasing the tab, she picked up a shot of tequila and pondered how best to light it. Setting it down on the table again, she started the lighter and tried to put the flame into the shot glass, burning a blister on her thumb this time. The woman dropped the bottom of the lighter into the tequila and shoved the offended digit into her mouth.

Helmsley removed the lighter from glass, wiped it off, and handed it back to her. Samia took it because she planned on conquering it. "It's a cigarette lighter!" she announced suddenly, finally remembering what the object was called. The other three nodded at her encouragingly. She smiled sheepishly and reached for the shot glass again. Tipping it sideways, just enough to where it wouldn't spill, she struck the lighter. The flame immediately disappeared.

"Dammit," she muttered, the first time any of them had heard her cuss. Picking up one of the remaining glasses, she tossed another shot back, her face screwing up again as if she had forgotten what it had tasted like. Feeling fortified, she stuck her tongue back out again and carefully poured just a little of the tequila onto the table. She lit the lighter again and held it down to the table but the flame went out again. Her head tossed back again with another shot and she shook the lighter before banging it against the table, thinking that always worked when her remote control wouldn't change channels. She held the flame to the liquid on the table but the same happened again.

Her captive audience hardly moved as they watched her futile attempts, wishing they had a video camera. However, her next attempt sent Shawn and Hunter, the two people closest to her, scrambling. "I don't think it works right," she had stated before holding up a napkin and then flicking on the lighter. Helmsley grabbed the napkin and Shawn plucked the lighter from her. Immediately, her face screwed up and she started crying. "What did I do?"

"I think it's time to go," Shawn said, taking another napkin and holding it out for her. "Don't cry," he soothed, glancing at Kevin, who nodded in return.

Samia blew her nose loudly into the napkin as she slid out of the booth behind Hunter but stopped, perching on the edge of the padded bench. "Wait, we've left one," she said and reached across Shawn to pluck up the last shot of tequila, her experimental one now sporting the napkin that was almost set on fire. Before anyone could stop her, as if they would anyhow, she tossed it back. "No point in wasting it," the woman stated with a smile before standing up and then falling back into Shawn's arms.

"She's out," he said with a shrug. "Hand me that glass of water."


	27. Random Missing Scene 2

**Author's Notes: **Please read the author's notes at the end before leaving any negative criticism.

**

* * *

Random Missing Scene 2 **

_This scene corresponds with chapter eighteen. The week before, Samia found the Undertaker laid out and bleeding in the parking lot thanks to the nWo. She rode with him to hospital in the ambulance and then stayed with him until his wife arrived. Nash puts her in a match with Trish Stratus, the women's champion, as backlash for her actions. This is Shawn's pep talk to Samia before her first real women's match._

The novice wrestler brushed her hair back and began braiding it, all the while seething and glaring at the cinderblock wall. Up until this point, she had been welcomed into the nWo and given free reign to wield her legal expertise. Now, she was being punished for being a human being, for being, at the least, a carbon-based life form, unlike the nWo, particularly Kevin Nash. This wasn't about earning a place in the faction. It wasn't about tough love. It was about reminding her who was boss and not to interfere in the boss' plans. This was a symbolic act to say that if Trish Stratus could tear her up and feed her to the dogs, imagine what any member of the faction could do to her if she went against their wishes. Well, maybe she was pushing it too far. Maybe Nash was just mad at her and this was simply punishment for embarrassing the nWo, or, more likely, just him. Either excuse, it wasn't good enough to make her do this when she wasn't ready.

Samia wrapped the rubber band around the end of her braid before checking her hair in the compact mirror. She picked at a ripple and only made it worse. With a sigh, she pulled the band out and began brushing her hair again. Before she could sort the locks into three sets, Shawn plopped down on the ottoman in front of her.

"You psyched?" he asked, excitedly. She rolled her eyes and shook out the braid to start again. "You'll be fine. Just remember everything I've taught you. Any free second you get, plan a strategy. Execute several moves in succession. Most importantly, remember WWHBKD."

"Excuse me?" she asked, not exactly sure what she had just heard.

"WWHBKD? You know, what would the Heart Break Kid do?" he replied as if she should have known.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Works for me."

"Because it _is_ you. Do you think that Jesus walked around saying, 'what would I do?'" Samia asked but Shawn only shrugged. "Don't you think that's a little blasphemous _and _a little conceited?"

"No more than Austin 3:16," he replied, folding his arms across his chest.

"I didn't ask for an excuse to use it, I asked for an evaluation of it." So, she only attended church a few times out of the year. It didn't mean she lost her sense of decorum around others. Using words of religious nature needed to stay out of wrestling because, mainly, it was offensive to those who were believers and just plain offensive to anything sacred, Christian or not. It really didn't help that wrestlers made fun of ethnicities, other countries, America, and so forth, but, in her opinion, you didn't mess with God, whether or not you believed in the existence of the deity because you never could be sure.

"What? You gonna start quoting the Ten Commandments now?" Nash interrupted.

She whipped around to glare at him. Speaking of religion, she thought about changing his by repeatedly kicking him in the crotch. The woman glanced over the denim that didn't do well to constrain the evidence of his endowment. Her eyes jerked back up to his face. "Might have done your marriage some good to have quoted you one of the commandments."

"Seems you've broken a few of them yourself," Kevin shot back, his gaze moving back and forth between Samia and Shawn.

"Seems you haven't read them in a while—you have to be married to break _that_ one but I'm sure you already know that."

"Oh, Saint Samia, pray, please forgive me and intervene to the Pope on my behalf," he pleaded sarcastically in a high-pitched voice, clasping his hands in front of him in mock prayer.

"And y'all think me and Samia are bad together," Hunter said, loud enough to interrupt the argument as he exited the lockerroom's restroom.

"I'm not debating theology with any of y'all," she stated and stalked off to the now empty bathroom to finish braiding her hair. When she finally got the rubber band wrapped around the end of the braid and the rest to her satisfaction, Shawn surprised her when she noticed his reflection in the mirror. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed her on the back of the neck. A shiver coursed throughout her body.

"Wanna see if we can break some more commandments?"

"What we're doing isn't—"

"I only meant it suggestively," he whispered in her ear, sending tingles down that side of her body. She turned around in his embrace and willingly accepted his kiss.

"If I can still move after this match…" she began, running her hand down his cheek.

"Oh, yeah, the match. WWHBKD," he said.

_Not again, _she thought. "So what exactly does WWHBKD mean?"

"Besides the acrostic?" She was really impressed that he even knew such a word but just nodded to hear what he had to say. "Think of what I would do out there." He ran her braid through his hand. "Trish never wears hers up. A handful of hair hurts worse than a jerk on a pony tail. Just don't do it more than once or twice. Don't want to be disqualified."

"Shawn, I know all of this," she replied, putting her hands on her chest.

"Alright, keep it as clean as you can when the ref's looking. You break a few rules when he's looking, but not too many. If it gets bad, get yourself disqualified. What do you lose? Your record'll be the same and maybe you can keep something from getting broken," the wrestler explained and tweaked her nose.

Samia nodded at him in a condescending manner. She didn't have a photographic memory but she only had to be told once when it came to the rules of wrestling. "What does it matter? I'm gonna get my butt kicked out there."

"It'll build character and get you some experience," Shawn replied, slapping her on the shoulder like she was one of the guys.

"Tell my bruises that tomorrow."

"Look, I promise it won't be bad if you just remember WWHBKD. Sorry I didn't get you a bracelet with it on it," the man said with a straight face.

"Shawn," she whined impatiently, wondering how many times he had actually used the phrase and if he had taken it from _Ready to Rumble _or thought of it before then. Even more, she hoped that he wasn't serious about the bracelet.

"Say it with me," he ordered, putting his hands on her upper arms.

"No."

"Come on. Say it with me. WWHBKD."

He wasn't going to stop if she didn't it. "WWHBKD," she sighed, looking away.

"Louder."

"Are you crazy? Hunter'll never stop making fun of me if he hears. Do you know what he does to me when we get around any limes?"

"Alright," he conceded with a one-sided smile, piquing her curiosity again about how serious he was about all this. "I'll let it go if you'll tell me one more time and look me in the eye."

Samia could _not _believe she was doing this. She looked down at the floor and then back up into his hazel eyes. "WWHBKD."

* * *

When she was in tight situations, Samia often found herself chanting the prayer of serenity to calm herself. 

_Lord, grant me the serenity_

_to accept the things I cannot change;_

_courage to change the things I can;_

_and the wisdom to know the difference._

After her 'blasphemy' speech, something felt wrong about using it now. Her music hit and she nodded to the faction, who made their entrance before her. Taking a deep breath, Shawn's speech came back to her. _What would HBK do? _She couldn't believe that she was about to do this. _What the hell, WWHBKD, WWHBKD, _she thought, using the acrostic as a calming mantra as she bounced down the ramp.

**

* * *

Author's Notes:** I mean absolutely no disrespect by this random missing scene. I am a student of religion and have been for eight years, so I truly understand the need for respect in regards to religion and this was done only in fun and in jest between characters in a story who are not devout believers. 


	28. Random Missing Scene 3

**Random Missing Scene 3 **

_This scene corresponds with chapter nineteen. Terri is interviewing Nash and the majority of the interview is about him still holding the belt and nobody willing to challenge him. Shawn is with him during the interview and pulls out a black thong and arranges it on his head. Samia recognizes it as what she was wearing the previous night before a particular incident got them banned from the hotel pool. She then dons a pair of his clean underwear on her head and joins him in the interview. This scene is that particular incident that got them banned._

Samia turned away from Triple H again, gritting her teeth. Any minute now, she was going to stab him with a fork. He was on an extremely talkative and mean streak. Apparently, he wasn't getting laid because he was spending more time with Shawn, Kevin, and Samia. Same for Kevin as well but Kevin wasn't taking his frustration out on _her_. The woman whipped around to face Hunter. "If you don't leave me alone, I'm going to get up and move my chair," she gritted out. "You got me?"

"Who put a bee in your bonnet?"

"_You, _now just leave me alone."

"Fine, whatever," he replied and stabbed at the slice of cheesecake he hadn't touched yet for talking nonstop.

She herself turned to her dessert and scooped up the last piece of tiramisu. She glanced over at Shawn and Kevin but they hadn't noticed her caustic comment. It was then that she wondered why she always ended up sitting between Shawn and Hunter every time they went out together. It was only natural that best friends, even grown men as old as they were, would be side by side instead of putting the lover in between them. Well, she wasn't kidding about moving her seat there now.

"What time are we getting together in the morning to go over pointers for your match with Molly?" Shawn asked, finally turning his attention back to her. Oftentimes when Shawn was with Kevin and Hunter, she was forgotten. Oftentimes, _Hunter _was forgotten. That was probably why they had developed the kind of relationship they had. Maybe if she would accept that, he wouldn't get so annoying looking for attention. It didn't matter at the moment after he chimed in.

"Please don't let it be a bra and panties match. I don't want to see Molly in only her underwear." He made a sound of disgust and did a full body shiver. "Now, if you want to just wear your panties to the ring…" Helmsley trailed off.

Samia fingered the tines of her stainless steel fork, formulating some scathing reply. When one wouldn't come and that sneer on his face wouldn't disappear, she grabbed her glass and threw the water at him. He spluttered as the liquid dripped from his face, down his chest, and into his lap. She expected immediate retaliation but he only started to laugh to the point of guffawing.

"Thanks, chick," he smirked, wiping away water with his cloth napkin. "You got me back. Now, it's my turn. And you'll never know when I'll strike."

He said that every time—"you'll never know when I'll strike." He viewed the water as payback for when he put a rubber snake in her bathtub, which was payback for the rubber snake in his toilet, which was payback for the rubber snake in her bed, which was payback for god knew what. (Said rubber snake had been unceremoniously and ignominiously decapitated after the bathtub incident and fed to trash compactor by Nash.) She had been planning for something better and it would now require him getting revenge before she could do it. It was the unwritten rules of engagement. Either that or his retribution would be doubly worse.

"I'll be back," Hunter said, barely containing his chuckling. It wasn't long before he was back, his jeans and shirt looking as if he had attempted to dry them with the automatic hand dryers in the bathroom. The hotel restaurant was fancy enough to warrant Samia's black, sheer dress but not classy enough to have restroom attendants. Helmsley bent down to whisper in Kevin's ear and then into Shawn's. She hardly paid attention. They often spread 'confidential' information that wasn't for her, which was all the better. Whatever it is, she couldn't be held culpable.

"Ready, Angel?" Shawn asked, shelling out cash for the check. She nodded and reached for her pashmina and purse. She knew she should be wary of Hunter at this point but it usually took him a couple of weeks to get her back. Just in case, the blonde wedged her way in between Nash and Michaels.

Outside of the restaurant, Samia made the turn towards the elevators and stumbled all over Kevin. "Oh, sorry," she muttered, too busy being curious about exactly where they were going.

When they turned down an unfamiliar corridor off the lobby with "Pool Area" marked at her eye-level, she began to get worried. No one said a word as they moved closer to the steamed-up double doors. Now she was really worried. "Um, guys," she began, stopping and Shawn and Kevin outpacing her. Hunter had to quickly check himself before he ran her over.

"Now," Triple H ordered over her head.

"What?" Samia worriedly asked, spinning around as Hunter reached down for her feet. Without thinking, she began pummeling him with her purse, even as Michaels grabbed her by one arm and Nash grabbed her by the other. She knew exactly what was going down now. "Guys, please, come on, guys," she begged as they shouldered their way through the double doors. "Hunter, please, I wasn't paying you back with the water."

"So, then I get to get you back for the water and what ever you do next? That's double the revenge, Mia."

"I'm not gonna do anything else to you, I promise," she cried.

"Then this is just for the water," he chuckled as they brought her to the edge of the pool.

"Wait, you'll ruin my purse and my pashmina. Do you know how much that cost?" Samia pleaded, hoping that would deter them since Shawn was the one who had bought them for her.

"Hunter," Michaels said, seeming to sound sympathetic.

Triple H dropped her heels, which smacked loudly on the tile. She breathed a huge sigh of relief and tugged at her arms to be able to right herself but the two holding her didn't let go. Shawn and Hunter worked the purse out of her grip and then Helmsley unwound the drape from her shoulders. He tossed them at the nearest lounge chair and reached for her feet again. She lashed out with her heels but, after some difficulty and a lot of laughter, he managed to get hold of them. "Please, don't," she pleaded again. "I—I—I wear contacts. That chlorine will eat them up."

"Then close your eyes, chick," Nash told her as they began rocking her back and forth to heave her in.

"Guys, please, don't. My shoes are—" She never finished with "suede" as she felt all three pairs of hands let go. Her splashdown was momentarily delayed as she managed to grab handfuls of Kevin's and Shawn's shirts. Between Hunter's thrust with her feet and the other two forcefully tossing her, she had enough momentum to catch the duo off balance and they tumbled in after her.

The woman resurfaced and immediately kicked away from Shawn and Kevin. Being drowned by them tonight was not disaster she was willing to court. Hurrying as fast as her heel-clad feet would allow, she swam across the pool and pulled herself up the ladder. Glancing around she noticed a woman dressed in white slacks and a short-sleeved cashmere sweater glaring at them. She was toweling away water from her pants and calling for her son. A young couple in the pool was edging away from Shawn and Kevin who were arguing about whose fault it was that she pulled them in. When the taller man shoved Shawn under, a father pulled his daughter out of the pool.

Remembering her expensive dress, Samia hurried over to the poolboy who kept the towels. She noticed that he was surreptitiously reaching for the phone on the desk beside him but he jerked his hand away when he caught her eyes watching him. Without a word, he handed her a large white, fluffy towel. She thanked him and turned back to the trio that were still arguing. Payback hit like an epiphany. She slipped off her heels and then dashed across the tile, using her silence and speed against an unsuspecting Hunter. He teetered on the edge but one more good shot sent him over.

Nash and Michaels weren't quick enough to get out of the way as Helmsley crashed into them. By this time, the two couples in the Jacuzzi were beginning to look annoyed but not quite as much as when Hunter resurfaced. He was managing all kinds of curses at her and picking at his leather jacket. For a moment, she pondered whether or not pushing him in was worth buying him a new leather jacket and then realized that it wasn't even worth pondering. She'd write him out a check the moment he would let her back within ten feet of him.

The three guys seemed to have forgotten about her to see who could dunk the other and actually keep him under now. Noticing that it was obvious that she didn't have a bra on, she wrapped the towel around her as she heard someone call, "Ma'am?" She turned around and pointed at herself in a questioning manner. "Yes, I'm the hotel manager and I'm going to have to ask you and your friends to leave."

"Oh, that's fine. I'll be out your hair. Good luck in getting them out of here," Samia replied, waving a corner of her towel at the wrestlers who had now spotted the manager.

"Um," he began, noticing their size. He only knew that there were three men and a woman causing enough trouble in the pool that he had received four complaints in five minutes. He had no idea that they were so large. Picking at his collar, he cleared his throat. "I have to ask you to leave and ask that the four of you please not return to the pool tonight," he squeaked.

"You're _banning _us from the pool?" Shawn asked as he pulled himself up over the tiled edge.

"Yes," the man confidently replied, having managed to find his resolve. "If you do not leave now, I will call security."

"Fine, we'll be gone," Kevin responded, putting a hand on Shawn's sopping wet shirt. Samia could hear the pitter patter of water dripping off of the three of them.

The manager stalked off to the stacks of towels, grabbed three of them, and brought them back to the wrestlers. "As soon as you are towel-dried, I trust that you will be gone and will not leave wet tracks across my lobby," the man, whose name she now noticed on the nametag of his sportsjacket. _Boy found balls, _Samia thought and then caught an armed security guard out of the corner of her eye. _No wonder, _she 'hmpffed' as he turned on his heel and called out to the poolboy. "If they're not out of here in five minutes, call security and then call me."

The three towels weren't doing it and Hunter and Kevin advanced on the poor guy in the corner for more. Shawn had pulled his shirt off and was trying to ring it out when he caught the look in Samia's eyes. She couldn't help but admire him—tight, wet jeans, bare chest glistening with water. Oh, yes, something was stirring between her legs and he knew it. With the poolboy diverted by the other two guys, Shawn took her by the arm and began steering her to one of the side doors that led to the sauna rooms. A sign on them said that they were closed but he checked each of them until he found one open.

Outside of the pool area, Samia began protesting. "Shawn," she whispered, tugging her arm back. "Let's go back to the room."

"More fun this way," he replied and pulled her into the now cool sauna room. She didn't have time to protest again as his mouth descended on hers. A low moan came from the back of her throat as his hand slid up her thigh and under her dress. All thoughts on being caught were gone as her fingernails raking through the hair on his chest elicited the same reaction from him.

Shawn eased her down on the bench, tossing aside his shirt and their towels. He sucked at one of her nipples through her wet dress as he tugged at her thong. She shifted her hips for him to slide it down her thighs. He pulled her head back to him and fervently kissed her as his other hand played in the curls between her thighs. She began to mewl and he kissed her even harder. Her hands began to fumble with the button of his jeans but the soaked denim wouldn't give way. Shawn pulled away from her and began to pull at the sodden clothing. He was going to get them off and _now_…unless there was someone banging on the door of the sauna.

Samia scrambled up and grabbed one of the towels, wrapping it around herself although she was still clothed. The door swung up and Shawn met the hotel manager's hard gaze with his own. "I think you should leave and not return to the pool, the sauna, the massage rooms, _anything _connected with this area," he gestured around him, "for the rest of your stay. This type of action should be confined solely to your room. Please leave."

Amazingly, Michaels didn't protest. He scooped up his shirt and carefully pulled it over his head as it stuck to bare skin. "You might want to think about bringing a pretty lady down here sometime yourself," he said as Samia, holding the towel to her burning, scarlet cheeks, scampered through the door the manager was holding open.

In the elevator, she noticed the draft under the skirt of her dress and whispered to Shawn that they needed to go back and find her panties. "Don't worry about it," he softly replied. "We'll worry about them when I get some dry clothes."

She wanted to protest about someone else finding them before they did but they were already at her hotel door and Shawn was pulling her in and searching for the zipper on the back of her dress.


	29. Final Random Missing Scene

**Final Random Missing Scene**

_This chapter can be a scene anywhere between chapters sixteen and twenty. No other explanation is necessary, as you will find out as you read. Sorry it's so short but I hope it's sweet (Scott Hall 'sweet' or otherwise)._

"C'mon, this way," Shawn urged, tugging Samia along by her hand.

"Why can't we just wait?" she asked, bowing up and stopping.

He glanced both ways and then tugged her into his arms. "Do you really wanna wait?" he breathlessly asked and then barely brushed her lips with his. Tingles shot throughout her body but then her knees began to sag as he bent down again and began to run the tip of his tongue across her bottom lip. She could never understand why something as simple as that would turn her on more than a deep, slow kiss.

"Hmmm," she moaned, her eyes fluttering open.

"I know the perfect place. C'mon."

Samia was sold…until she noticed they were heading for the entrance and encountering more and more people. She wanted him more than anything at that moment but there's a point in time where she had to draw the line. He pulled her towards the side entrance and she once again stood her ground. "Shawn, where in the hell do you think we're going?"

"In there," he said, pulling the black curtain back that led into the empty area under the main entrance and ramp.

"Are you crazy?" she asked but he jerked her through the curtain and into the blackened 'underground.' "RAW is about to start."

"I know," he replied, rubbing up against her provocatively and making her tremble. "Doesn't that make it all the more exciting?" _Um, no, _Samia wanted to reply but her body was saying otherwise very loudly. "This way. Watch for the cords."

The warning came too late as her heel caught on several wires. She righted herself and began to shuffle along as Shawn slowly led her through the inky blackness. For a moment, she wondered why he knew his way around in the dark so well. The thought was quickly pushed away as Shawn whipped her around and carefully lowered her to the concrete floor.

There was a sense of urgency between them, heightened by the roar of the crowd from a dark match, as they both tugged at the removal of necessary clothing. Samia melted into the floor as Shawn ran his hands under her blouse. A bundle of wires was hurting the back of her neck and she pushed the cords away, hardly hearing the rip of duct tape.

The floor felt as if it vibrated under them from the energy of the crowd. As the fans grew louder, Samia and Shawn moved faster against each other. "Moan, baby, let it all out. Nobody can hear," he breathed into her ear. When the fireworks exploded, the usually quiet woman shouted Shawn's name in climax. He collapsed against her as the scaffolding shook around them.

"Was that the pyro to start RAW or are you just getting better?" she asked with a laugh.

"Whatever you want it to be, Angel," he replied and kissed her ear.

"Now that the concrete under me is warm, do we stay here for a while or do we go back before we're missed?" Samia asked, lazily running a hand under his shirt

"Hmm…" he replied, dropping kisses on her neck. "Keep doing that and we'll have to shoot off the pyro again."

"Aren't we planning on interrupting the beginning of the second match?" she suddenly asked.

"Mmmm-hmmm…" he responded again, this time seeking out more patches of exposed skin.

"We need to get back if I'm going to make myself—mmmm," she moaned then ordered, "stop that. I can't look like I've just had a roll in the hay."

"Alright," he muttered and eased off her before helping her sit up.

"I can't see anything," Samia said, feeling around her and finding the loosened bundle of wires. "Help me find all my clothes."

"What all are you missing?"

"I think you know that," she answered suggestively as he handed her an article of attire.

"You've got a point," he replied as she pulled her shirt back on, checking to make sure the tag was in the back. Another article of clothing was put into her hands and then he asked, "Does that get it all?"

"Yeah," she answered, pulling that on as well. "Wait, did you hear that?"

Both of them immediately stopped and craned their necks to listen. "I think the wires are over there. I can't believe we started the show without the commentators' audio. It was working during the last Heat match," Samia and Shawn heard.

"Is that really a bad thing?" Samia whispered.

"Doesn't matter, we've got to go," Shawn replied, holding out his hands and then realizing she couldn't see him.

"Yeah, because I think I pulled up the wires they're looking for," she explained and found his outstretched hands.

"Good job. Maybe we should do this more often."

"Let's not."

"What? It wasn't as good for you as it was for me? I thought you felt the earth move," he replied with a chuckle.

"I like to do it without thinking about whether or not I'm cutting off Lawler's mike."

"Oh, but think of all the people who would love you for it," Shawn replied, kissing her quickly before they exited out of the black drapes on the other side of the entrance.

"Let's find another way to do that in a way that doesn't involve Lawler's name and the phrase 'no clothes,'" Samia countered with a laugh and a full body shiver.


End file.
